IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA)

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The IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA) is a voluntary evaluation program, produced at the request of the industry, to extend the benefits of operational safety and efficiency that emanated from the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Program to the operators of smaller aircraft that are not eligible for the IOSA program.

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Benefits for the industry

  • Global safety standard for commercial operators not covered by existing programs
  • Measurement of operator’s conformity with ICAO requirements
  • Gradual implementation of safety management system (SMS) elements
  • Entry into the ISSA Registry
  • Improved marketing and commercial advantages for operators
  • Improved conditions for reduction of insurance premiums
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ISSA Registry

Check out the ISSA Registry on the IATA Connect platform.

 

ISSA Assessment Scope and Eligibility

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​The IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA) Program is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an Operator. Below are the conditions to participate in ISSA.

 

  • Commercial and/or non-commercial passenger, and/or cargo operations
  • Seaplane operations
  • Aircraft with one or more turbine-powered and/or multiple reciprocating engines and single reciprocating engines (for Seaplanes)
  • Single and/or Two-pilot operation
  • IFR and/or VFR operations
  • Aircraft below 5,700Kg MTOW
  • Aircraft above 5,700Kg MTOW will be eligible for one ISSA initial assessment; thereafter the operator needs to pursue an IOSA registration initial audit to stay on an IATA Audit registry

Exclusions

 

  • Aircraft with single reciprocating engine (for non-seaplane operations)
  • Helicopters
  • Operators with no aircraft on the AOC (only wet-lease operations)

During an assessment, ISARPs are applied only to those aircraft that are of the type authorized in the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and utilized in commercial passenger and/or cargo operations. Other owned or leased aircraft that are not of the type authorized in the AOC and/or not utilized in commercial air transport operations, will not be evaluated during an assessment as they are considered outside the scope of ISSA. However, the existence of such aircraft will be referenced with an explanation in the ISSA Audit Report (ISAR).

How to Become an ISSA Registered Airline

  1. Make sure to comply with ISSA's scope & eligibility criteria
  2. Review the ISSA Process Overview document.
  3. For Initial Registration Assessments, complete the application form and submit it to issa@iata.org.
  4. To plan your ISSA Registration Renewal Assessment, contact us at the ISSA Program Office. 
  5. Onsite assessment is conducted by two auditors for two days. 
  6. Assessment follow-up (closure of findings) and subsequent two-year registration period.

Obtain an ISSA assessment report

Should you want to have access to an ISSA Assessment Report, kindly complete the request form (doc) and return it to the ISSA team.

Need more information? 

For more information, please contact us at: issa@iata.org