In September 2023, at the IATA World Safety and Operations Conference in Vietnam, aviation celebrated two decades of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). In that time, IOSA has made a significant contribution to air safety. It is now an internationally recognized evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
Notably, IOSA-registered carriers consistently outperform non-registered counterparts in safety metrics. Since 2005, the all-accident rate for airlines on the IOSA registry is 1.40 per million sectors, compared with 3.49 per million sectors for non-IOSA airlines. In 2022, IOSA-registered carriers outperformed those not on the registry by a factor of four (0.70 accidents per million sectors vs. 2.82 accidents per million sectors). This success has prompted a call for more regulators to incorporate IOSA into safety oversight programs, emphasizing its global significance.
Reflecting the strong safety performance of airlines on the IOSA registry, IATA began IOSA’s third decade with a call for:
IOSA was launched in 2003 in close cooperation with aviation regulatory bodies, including Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Transport Canada. It became mandatory for IATA membership in 2006 and has also become a requirement for global airline alliances and various regional associations.
Furthermore, many regulators worldwide utilize IOSA to complement safety oversight programs and verify operational safety for codeshare arrangements. With the industry adoption of IOSA in the past two decades, the program has become the industry benchmark in safety auditing, contributing to safety performance enhancement and providing extensive cost-saving measures for IOSA participating airlines.
Nevertheless, as the IOSA program matures, it has become clear that moving away from the one-size-fits all model is the best response to the dynamic aviation landscape. IATA has therefore evolved IOSA into a risk-based model, tailoring audits to operators' profiles and focusing on high-risk areas. Another key addition is a maturity assessment for safety-critical systems and programs.
Going beyond a checklist that ensures minimum safety standards are met across the breadth of airline operations, risk-based IOSA assesses how well an airline manages safety and provide a safety evaluation based on industry priorities and critical airline operations. The information obtained from risk-based audits helps airlines and the industry stay on top of evolving safety risks and enable airlines to continuously improve their safety and quality management performance.
The evolution to risk-based IOSA has introduced a safety maturity assessment alongside baseline safety, enhancing audit effectiveness and contributing to the broader industry goal of reducing accident rates.
Under a Risk-based IOSA, the safety audit scoping considers industry standards and operator-specific elements. For instance, in response to the increasing global runway excursion rate, a risk-based approach prioritizes IOSA Standards and Recommended Practices (ISARPs) related to runway excursions, audited in-depth at regular intervals. Unlike the traditional approach where all ISARPs are audited universally, risk-based IOSA tailors the scope to the operator's profile and audit history. ISARPs with low criticality may be audited less frequently, allowing a focused effort on high criticality ISARPs.
The safety maturity assessment in Risk-based IOSA offers a structured and comprehensive evaluation of an airline's relevant safety systems and programs. This provides valuable insights for determining the next steps in improving operational safety. In addition to the maturity assessment, the program maintains a baseline of conformity with ISARPs, differentiating it from the conventional conformity assessment. This dual approach ensures a thorough examination of safety best practices, encouraging continuous improvement.
Over the last 20 years, IOSA has become the industry benchmark in aviation safety auditing. With Risk-based IOSA, the program provides industry stakeholders with additional value:
In conjunction with IOSA standards, IATA offers the IOSA Standards Manual (ISM) in an XML format for integration into safety and quality management software. The manual comprises ISARPs and accompanying IOSA checklists—critical components of IOSA for the operator and auditors.
IOSA Members use the ISM to prepare for audits, ensuring ongoing flight safety. They also benefit from IOSA XML data files in two modules: safety management and content management. These are designed to ensure operational efficiencies when preparing and conducting ongoing safe operations..
As risk-based IOSA takes center stage, the aviation industry can expect tailored audits, comprehensive assessments, and a continuous commitment to safety improvement. With the future launch of a safety collaboration platform and ongoing cooperation with regulators, IATA ensures that risk-based IOSA remains a cornerstone of global aviation safety. This evolution promises a safer, more efficient future for airlines and their customers .
