ALS awarded IOSA safety certification

Nairobi, June 16, 2011 - ALS has been awarded the IATA Operational safety Audit (IOSA) certification for meeting international aviation safety standards. IOSA is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the management and control systems of an airline.

The IOSA certificate gives ALS recognition as a company with international standards in its operations, management and maintenance control systems. Since its introduction several years ago, the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the benchmark for global aviation safety.

"The Management of ALS has always been forward thinking when it comes to Safety and Quality Assurance,” said Mr Aslam Khan, the Chairman of ALS.

Mr. Khan said the company started the IOSA certification in 2009 and invested over US$1 million to achieve this global standard. In Kenya, ALS is the second airline after Kenya Airways to achieve this prestigious certification and the third in East Africa. “The IOSA certification means that we take safety very seriously and our safety standards are at par with international standards," said the Chairman.

For ALS, IOSA opens new markets with all major international carriers and confirms its position as a safe provider of aviation solutions. Mr Khan further said that, with IOSA certification, customers should expect peace of mind that ALS does not take any shortcuts when it comes to their safety. "This is only one of our ultimate achievements as we have also met the stringent requirements of the UN, ICRC and WFP and oil companies. We will continually strive to improve on our already high and internationally accepted standards," said Mr Khan.

With IOSA accreditation, ALS expects to further diversify and increase its business through strategic alliances and partnerships. The standard opens new markets with major international airlines, who can only transfer passengers to other IOSA registered airlines.

The future for air travel in Africa is looking good with positive indicators such as tourist numbers, increased resource exploration activities and business activities. ALS believes it is well positioned in this market to achieve further growth. Planned expansions for ALS in the coming year include acquiring the 50-seat Embraer 145 jet and the Dash 8-300 aircraft to meet the growing demand for its services.