Montreal
– 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.