* L--R : Engr. Lookman Animashaun, Executive Director, Technical, Med-View Airline; Captain Godfrey Ogbogu, Head Flight Operation; Alhaji Muneer Bankole, ME/CEO; Mr Samson Fatokun, Area Manager, West Africa, International Air Transport Association (IATA), Ewemade Atake, Aviations Solutions Manager, IATA and Alhaji Ishaq Na'Allah, Executive Director, Business Development, Med-View Airline during the presentation of IATA Operational and Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate to Med-View Airline in Lagos.
Medview Airline, one of the fastest growing domestic airlines in the country has obtained the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational safety Audit (IOSA) certification.
The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) according to the international airline body is the benchmark for global safety management in airlines and all IATA members are registered and must remain registered in order to maintain IATA membership.
A visit to IOSA registry by Abelnewsng.com showed that Medview Airline’s IOSA certification will expire on Monday, March 26, 2016 and has MEV as its ICAO code.
This was disclosed by the Regional Manager, IATA, South West Africa, Mr Samson Fatokun today at the airline’s headquarters in Lagos, explained that Medview airline has successfully completed the requirements of IOSA to be given certification.
He said that the airline has fulfilled all the conditions and met all the requirements for it to be given IOSA certificate, adding that no airline can be IOSA certified without the support of the Chief Executive Officer of the airline.
He stated that IATA had rolled out programmes to assist airlines in achieving IOSA certification, adding that being in IOSA comes with a lot of benefits.
Fatokun hinted that the airline is expected to renew the certification every two years, adding that Medview Airline’s IOSA certification has started counting from this week.
According to him, “Medview Airline has joined the few African airlines in IOSA registry. We want you to take full advantage of being IOSA certified airline. It brings a lot of comfort and Medview should ensure that it does not come out of IOSA. It is good to be there. It is important the airline maintain and sustain the certification.”
Fatokun added that with the granting of IOSA certification to Medview Airline, the entity has automatically becomes International Air Transport Association (IATA) member airline, adding that IOSA is a prerequisite for IATA member airline.
“With this Medview Airline now play in the big league.” Fatokun said
Medview Airline’s IOSA feat brings to five the number Nigerian Airlines that have been certified.
Nigerian airlines that have achieved IOSA certification according to IOSA’s registry includes: Arik Air, Aero, Firstnation, Overland and Allied Air.
Speaking on IOSA certification, the Managing Director of the airline, Alhaji Munir Bankole stated that it had been a team work and that he dedicates the certification to the entire staff.
Bankole added the process toward getting IOSA certification was not a child’s play, adding that it took the airline about two years to achieve safety based certification.
The Medview Chief Executive Officer stated that .during the process of getting IOSA certification a lot of auditors checked the airline’s books.
He thanked the entire Medview staff for their efforts at making IOSA certification possible, adding that all the staff up to the cleaners contributed to the success of the programme.
“What is going for Medview Airline is team work. I want to thank my entire work force that made it achievable. Even the cleaners did wonderful job.” Bankole said
He stated that of the airlines operating in the country, Medview is one of the airlines that take safety compliance very serious, urging other airlines to key into the IOSA programme.
The Medview Airline boss assured that the airline would maintain IOSA certification, adding that the certification is now the yardstick for securing interline and codeshare with other international airlines.
He hinted that already, the Etihad airline has commenced discussions with Medview Airline for interline deal.
