newstodate.aero
Apr 02, 2012 (newstodate): Does handling companies' investments in ISAGO certification make sense, commercially and otherwise?
The ISAGO registration is an IATA program modeled after the IATA Operational Safety Audit, IOSA, assessing ground service providers' operational management and control systems.
Part of the process is an independent audit comprising check of conformity to 119 standards of safety, as well as validation of airport handling services on 212 indicators.
The first ground handling company in Europe, and only the 10th company in the world to receive ISAGO Registration, was Baltic Ground Services at Lithuania's Vilnius International Airport.
In April 2011, the Finnish company Northport became the first handling company in the Nordic region to be ISAGO-certified, and in March 2012 this was followed by the Latvian handling company Havas Europe at Riga Airport planning next to roll out this process to its company at Sweden's Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
Still, is it worth the trouble?
-I think the commercial value is only part of the story, and for us it is at least too early to evaluate this, says Janis Balkens, Havas Europe CEO.
-However, implementing ISAGO is not an easy task and has required substantial dedication from the whole management team and employees. I would say that those who obtain ISAGO certification "walk the talk" regarding the importance of safety and quality.
-This is as important externally against the market as it is internally for the company, says Mr Balkens.
The ISAGO registration is an IATA program modeled after the IATA Operational Safety Audit, IOSA, assessing ground service providers' operational management and control systems.
Part of the process is an independent audit comprising check of conformity to 119 standards of safety, as well as validation of airport handling services on 212 indicators.
The first ground handling company in Europe, and only the 10th company in the world to receive ISAGO Registration, was Baltic Ground Services at Lithuania's Vilnius International Airport.
In April 2011, the Finnish company Northport became the first handling company in the Nordic region to be ISAGO-certified, and in March 2012 this was followed by the Latvian handling company Havas Europe at Riga Airport planning next to roll out this process to its company at Sweden's Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
Still, is it worth the trouble?
-I think the commercial value is only part of the story, and for us it is at least too early to evaluate this, says Janis Balkens, Havas Europe CEO.
-However, implementing ISAGO is not an easy task and has required substantial dedication from the whole management team and employees. I would say that those who obtain ISAGO certification "walk the talk" regarding the importance of safety and quality.
-This is as important externally against the market as it is internally for the company, says Mr Balkens.