Gokongwei-led carrier Cebu Pacific gets IATA operational safety accreditation

GOKONGWEI-LED Cebu Pacific on Thursday said it has fully complied with the International Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

In a statement, the budget carrier said it is now listed in the IOSA list of operators that have met the standard for airline safety management, joining 429 other airlines.

IOSA is the audit of safety of IATA, a trade association for the world’s airlines. Cebu Pacific is not a member of the association.

To secure the accreditation, Cebu Pacific said it has invested in technology that would improve its capability to manage safety risks. Among these are the on- board Runway Overrun Prevention System cockpit technology for its Airbus fleet, which monitors runway conditions before landing and calculates safe aircraft locations for stops; and a Fatigue Risk Management System for pilots.

“We are committed to upholding the highest possible standards for the benefit of our passengers. Hence, we chose to undergo the rigorous and stringent audit requirements for IOSA. Since it is considered the internationally recognized and accepted benchmark for airline safety, we wanted to be sure that our protocols and regulations meet IOSA standards,” Lance Y. Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Pacific Air, was quoted as saying in a statement.

Airlines have to undergo evaluation for IOSA certification every two years.

Cebu Pacific posted a net income of P7.91 billion for 2017, 18.9% lower than the P9.75 billion earned in 2016, primarily due to aircraft expenses and depreciation of the peso against the dollar. —