Milestone for Improved Global Safety

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Air Transat has become the first airline to renew its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registration under the Enhanced IOSA audit process.

Enhanced IOSA introduces the following:

• Airlines will assume responsibility for ensuring continued conformity with the 900+ IOSA standards and recommended practices through internal auditing throughout the 24 months registration period.
• Before each Enhanced IOSA renewal audit, airlines will need to submit a conformance report to their Audit Organization as a record of their internal audit activities.
• The new audit process includes an in-depth evaluation of the airline’s quality assurance program and a greater focus on the implementation of the IOSA standards through standardized auditing techniques.
• Audit Organizations will continue to conduct the on-site renewal audit every 24 months.

“We congratulate Air Transat for becoming the first airline to complete the rigorous standards of the Enhanced IOSA audit process. Their commitment to support implementation of Enhanced IOSA is commendable and paves the way for other airlines to follow suit,” said Guenther Matschnigg, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Safety and Flight Operations.

In June 2013, the IATA Board of Governors mandated the implementation of Enhanced IOSA for all IOSA renewal audits as of September 2015. Until then, airlines can opt to undergo their renewal audits under the Enhanced IOSA audit process on a voluntary basis.

“Enhanced IOSA adds an important dimension that focuses on the airline’s self-auditing and quality assurance programs. IATA will work with all airlines to ensure implementation of Enhanced IOSA by the set deadline,” said Matschnigg.

In 2013, IATA will conduct three Enhanced IOSA regional workshops – Beijing, Montreal and Bucharest – for IOSA registered airlines. Further workshops will be held in other regions in 2014.

IATA press release