Gulf Air, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, has successfully completed the internationally recognised, biennial International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and has been renewed on the IOSA Safety Audit Registry until 5 May 2025. Gulf Air Chief Operating Officer Captain Suhail Ismail received the certificate on the airline’s behalf.

The audit covers approximately 1,000 standards and recommended practices related to the safety of operations, as well as to the maintenance, engineering and procedures of the airline. Gulf Air, being a member of IATA, is required to undergo an initial IOSA audit and subsequent renewal audits every two years. This promotes aviation safety and is recognized by insurers, several aviation authorities worldwide, and international partners.

Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer, Captain Waleed Al Alawi thanked the airline’s employees for their efforts in maintaining and enhancing these standards: “The successful completion of this audit reflects Gulf Air's commitment to operating in line with international safety standards and the success of our efforts to apply the latest best practices. I congratulate all employees on this achievement and commend the efforts of our Quality Assurance Departments in the Operations Sector to integrate IOSA standards into all operations since the last audit two years ago. This essential registration reaffirms the efficiency and safety of our operations as well as the quality of services we provide passengers, helping to maintain the trust they place in us.”

This is the 10th IOSA audit Gulf Air has completed since 2005, in-line with IATA’s two-year audit cycle. Between audits, Gulf Air’s Quality Assurance Department continuously reviews and appraises internal operational processes, conducting firm quality control processes and self-auditing to ensure compliance with IOSA Standards and Recommended Practices, in addition to industry best practices. This helps to ensure that all matters related to safety and security are addressed promptly.

The department focuses its efforts on institutional organization, management systems, air operations, operational control operations, preparation for take-off, engineering and maintenance management, aircrew services management, ground services management, cargo operations, and security-related operations.

As a member of IATA, Gulf Air is required to undergo an IOSA audit and subsequent renewal audits every two years. IOSA is an internationally recognised evaluation system designed to assess airlines’ operational management and control systems. It is one of the airline’s essential tasks to continue monitoring and assessing its procedures and policies to ensure high quality services are delivered to its stakeholders.

Gulf Air successfully concludes International Air Transport Association (IATA) operational safety audit

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