WAM Sharjah, 1 Sept, 2009 (WAM) – Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it has successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), an internationally recognised evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.

This in-depth audit, which was conducted by auditors from the Accredited Audit Organisation, Aviation Quality Services GmbH, over a period of 5 days, covered Air Arabia’s corporate organisation and management structure, flight operations, flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, ground handling, cargo operations and airline security.

IOSA registration is awarded by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to those airlines demonstrating conformity with the comprehensive IOSA standards. Currently, some 327 airlines worldwide have received this registration.

“As the pioneer in the region’s low-cost carrier sector, Air Arabia is committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and operational excellence,” said Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia. “Receiving IOSA registration is therefore an important milestone in our ongoing journey to sustained growth and expansion.

Recently, Air Arabia was ranked first on the Top Performing Companies chart (TPC) as the best low-cost carrier (LCC) globally, in a study conducted by Aviation Week magazine, the largest information and services provider to the global aviation industry.