The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says that all 224 of its member airlines, comprising 93% of all scheduled international air traffic, are listed on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry.

“Today is a momentous day for aviation safety – our number one priority. IATA membership is now synonymous with best practice in airline safety. This is a great achievement and an important mark of quality for all IATA airlines. This in turn is a reassurance for travellers everywhere of aviation’s serious commitment to safety,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

IOSA is the global industry standard for airline operational safety management. The IOSA registry now consists of 308 airlines, 224 of which are IATA members. IOSA’s 900+ standards, developed in cooperation with the world’s leading airlines and regulators (including FAA, CASA, JAA, Transport Canada) represent industry best practice in all aspects of operational safety. Registration is valid for two years from the date at which the audit was commenced.

At the 2006 Annual General Meeting IOSA was made a condition of IATA membership with three milestones. By 31 December 2006, member airlines had to complete contractual arrangements for an IOSA audit. By 31 December 2007, all audits needed to be completed. And by 31 December 2008, all audit findings had to be closed and the carrier noted on the IOSA registry. Failure to meet any of the deadlines resulted in termination of IATA membership, with effect 90 days after the milestone.