dnata, one of the world’s largest air services providers, continues to be recognised for achieving the highest safety standards. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) awarded dnata the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) Registration in Iraq, following the successful completion of a comprehensive audit of the company and its ground-handling operations at Erbil International Airport (EBL).

Tom Alwyn-Jones, General Manager of dnata Erbil, said: “We are thrilled to mark an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to safety and security by achieving the prestigious ISAGO certification. We constantly invest in training, processes and technology and engage our highly-skilled people at all levels of the organisation to deliver world-class safety for our customers. The successful completion of IATA’s comprehensive audit demonstrates our ability to consistently achieve the highest standards across our operations.

“I thank our skilled team for their hard work and dedication. We continue to go the extra mile to provide service excellence to our customers, every day.”

dnata provides ramp, passenger and cargo handling services to more than 40 airlines in Erbil. The company’s customer-oriented team in Iraq consists of over 300 highly-skilled aviation professionals, who assisted 1.8 million passengers and ensured the smooth and safe operations of 10,000 flights in 2019.

ISAGO is an audit program for ground-handling companies serving airlines at airports covering the areas of organization and management, load control, passenger and baggage handling, aircraft handling and loading and aircraft ground movement. It offers benefits to airlines, ground handlers, regulatory as well as airport authorities. These include safer ground operations, fewer accidents and injuries, elimination of redundant audits, reduced costs, less damage and fewer audits, a uniform audit process and harmonized standards, improved safety oversight, harmonized auditor training and qualifications, improved quality standards, and enhanced understanding of high-risk areas within ground operations.