Who is undergoing the IOSA?

There is no requirement for an airline to be an IATA member to undergo an IOSA, says IATA's director of programmes implementation, Mike O'Brien, revealing that 25% of airlines contracted for audit are non-IATA. But as yet, none of the airlines contracted are a low-cost carrier or charter airline, he says. Already 230 audits have been contracted or carried out, says O'Brien, and airlines on the IOSA registry now number 125. Their names are identifiable on the IATA website, making the investment in safety transparent to travellers.

National aviation authorities can also access IOSA results, using them as an oversight tool, he adds. Chile, Egypt and Madagascar are mandating IOSA approval as one requirement for renewing certificates of airworthiness, and Hungary, Jordan, Mexico, Nigeria, Tunisia and Turkey are planning to do so, he says. The Association of African Airlines is pushing its members to meet IATA's deadlines for IOSA completion.

Source: Flight International