ISAGO for Auditors

5-day (40 hours) classroom course

The ISAGO Program has introduced a new audit methodology aligned with key industry standards (AHM, IGOM, ICHM) to ensure GHSP compliance, reduce operational variation, and enable seamless coordination with airlines. The ISAGO for Auditors course builds the knowledge and practical skills needed to assess ground operations as an integrated system—not just through procedural checks, but by evaluating how safety management, training, oversight, monitoring, communication, and corrective actions function in practice.

The course emphasizes assessing real-world implementation—ensuring standards are applied consistently in daily operations, not only documented. It covers the full audit lifecycle, from preparation to follow-up, and highlights differences between headquarters and station audits. Participants gain hands-on skills in evidence-based auditing, including using observations, interviews, records, and sampling to identify compliance gaps and systemic issues. By the end, learners can evaluate whether processes are effectively understood, applied, monitored, and continuously improved. Completion is a required step toward ISAGO auditor qualification (CoPA) and is also valuable for professionals in ground operations, safety, and compliance. It does not by itself grant auditor qualification.
Read more about the course in the Course Outline.

Note: Completion of this course does not automatically lead to an ISAGO Auditor qualification. If you want to become an ISAGO Auditor and be part of the Charter of Professional Auditors (CoPA) please review the pre-requisites (details at www.iata.org/ISAGO) and the order of steps that you need to fulfill before taking this course.

Course code: GOC023VEEN02

Course format

• This classroom course provides 5 days (40 hours) of instruction delivered by an official IATA Instructor.
• Take this course at an IATA Training Center, or on-demand as in-house training.
• Student performance will be based on an assessment.

Prerequisites

• Participants should have experience in ground operations, quality, safety, compliance, or auditing.
• Prior exposure to ground handling processes and operational management systems is strongly recommended.
• Recommended level is Intermediate and Advanced.
• The recommended level of language proficiency is ICAO Operational Level 4 for courses in English or the equivalent level for other languages.

How to register

• When you click the Register button, you will be directed to log in to your Training Account.
• Register early and save up to 25% at our Training Centers! Please read the Terms and Conditions for the early bird discount.

In-house training

To arrange in-house training for your company, please complete the in-house training request form or contact the Training Specialist in your region.

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

• Discuss the purpose, structure, and role of the ISAGO program
• Relate how a GHSP operates as an integrated system of operational and management activities
• Assess whether GHSP procedures, controls, and practices are aligned and in compliance with applicable industry standards
• Enhance your knowledge on the evaluation of the effectiveness of management system elements, including SMS, monitoring programs, training governance, oversight, communication, and corrective action management
• Distinguish between properly auditing headquarters-level management processes and station-level operational implementation
• Plan and conduct documentation and implementation assessments using ISAGO new audit methodology
• Collect, evaluate, and record objective evidence through observation, interviews, and records review
• Determine whether operational issues are isolated, repeated, or systemic
• Assess outsourced and subcontracted activities within the GHSP’s operational control framework

The key topics that are covered during this course include:

• Ground operations as an integrated operational and management system
• ISAGO audit framework, methodology, and audit lifecycle
• Industry standards applicable to ground operations in an ISAGO audit
• Headquarters and station audit scope
• Documentation and implementation assessment
• SMS, safety assurance, and monitoring programs
• Training systems, competency, and operational readiness
• Oversight of outsourced and subcontracted activities
• Evidence-based auditing techniques
• Operational observations, interviews, and records review
• Conformity, variation, out-of-scope activities, and non-compliance
• Systemic versus isolated operational issues
• Corrective actions, root cause analysis, and closure expectations

This course is recommended for:

• Prospective ISAGO auditors
• Ground operations, quality, safety, compliance, and oversight professionals involved in assessing or managing ground handling operations, which want to learn about the ISAGO program auditing requirements for the first time or to those that need to learn about the new ISAGO audit methodology.

An IATA Certificate of Completion is awarded to participants obtaining a grade of 80% or higher on all exercises and exams. A special distinction is awarded to participants obtaining a grade of 90% or higher.