BSI launches Aviation Certification of Compliance audit scheme

6 October 2020

BSI, the business improvement company, today launches a new global Aviation Certification of Compliance audit scheme. This programme is designed to help aerospace organizations to prepare for their ‘next normal’ by providing a best practice approach to mitigating public health risks and increasing consumer confidence in air travel.

With increasingly complex requirements across the aerospace industry worldwide, it’s important that organizations can demonstrate to the travelling public that they have been assessed as compliant with best practice. Organizations need to adapt quickly, adopt new working practices and address new regulations and guidelines while ensuring they are trusted to protect people and provide a healthy and safe environment for the benefit of employees and customers alike. This scheme will help to support them with this challenge.

In order to be verified, airports, ground handlers, commercial and cargo airlines will be independently assessed by BSI against one or more of the following publicly available guidelines or requirements:

The first organization to achieve this certification from BSI is Hamad International Airport (HIA). Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA commented:

“It is an honour to be recognized for our efforts to maintain a safe environment for our staff and passengers while ensuring operational efficiency. We always strive to provide consistently high-quality services for all our stakeholders. The verification reflects our capability in maintaining HIA’s position as a leading airport in the world, in these unprecedented times. As the world is adjusting to the new normal, the international recognition we get from BSI is important to ensure HIA’s operational capabilities at all times.”

Commenting on the achievement, HE Mr. Abdulla bin Nasser Turki Al-Subaey, President of the Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“We are pleased to witness this unprecedented development in Qatar’s aviation history. This achievement is a testament to Qatar's keenness and commitment to ICAO’s principles and objectives that help achieve the safety, security, and efficiency of the world's civil aviation system. Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority continuously works on improving and developing the country’s aviation regulations to ensure that the latest health, safety, and security standards are implemented. This achievement confirms the key role played by the authority to ensure compliance with international standards as well as the leading role of Hamad International Airport, one of the best airports in the world."

Pietro Foschi, Group Executive Director Assurance Services at BSI said:

“We welcome and congratulate the leadership demonstrated at Hamad International Airport to be the first to achieve this certification. The challenges presented by COVID-19 to organizations, employees and consumers have had a huge impact and as we adjust to the ‘next normal’, organizations around the world are implementing new ways of working as part of a progressive recovery. Organizations need expert guidance on how to maintain business efficiency and resilience, while protecting workers and consumers. They need to ensure that protocols are in place and need to provide trust to workers, passengers, authorities and all stakeholders that the best practices regarding safety in aviation are correctly applied so that such critical infrastructure can be used safely over time. We at BSI are delighted to have been collaborating with the airport management team to provide such trust.”