MANILA, Philippines – PAL Express, the budget carrier of Philippine Airlines (PAL), was able to pass its 3rd straight safety audit.
"PAL Express successfully completed for the 3rd consecutive time the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), confirming the airline's strict compliance with international aviation safety standards," PAL announced on Tuesday, March 27.
On its website, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) describes IOSA as "an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline."
PAL said the audit, conducted every two years, "is recognized as the gold standard in airline safety assessments."
"In line with our continuous efforts to achieve 5-star quality rating, we will ensure that we adhere to the highest international safety standards and provide quality flights," said PAL Express president Bonifacio Sam.
Sam noted that passing the audit allows an airline to be included in the IOSA Registry which lists airlines that adhere to industry safety standards.
The audit focused on the following:
- organization and management
- flight operations
- operational control and flight dispatch
- aircraft engineering and maintenance
- cabin operations
- ground handling operations
- cargo operations
- security management
PAL and PAL Express "are the only two airlines in the Philippines" listed in the IOSA Registry, according to the flag carrier.
PAL has gone through 6 straight IOSA renewals over 12 years. PAL Express, meanwhile, was first included in the IOSA Registry in March 2014, and underwent its first renewal in March 2016.
PAL Express was one of the budget carriers whose ban on flying to Europe was lifted by the European Union (EU) in 2015 following an audit by air safety experts. – Rappler.com