Dubai-based flydubai has received its membership certificate from the International Air Transport Association (Iata), becoming the latest airline to join from the Middle East and North Africa.

Flydubai successfully completed its Iata Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) last year. The audit, which is a pre-requisite for an Iata membership, examined all the operational departments across the airline to ensure that the carrier’s internal processes promote; safety, integrity and effectiveness in its management systems.

Commenting on the announcement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s chief executive officer, said: “Six years into its operations, flydubai continues to set benchmarks and the Iata membership marks another milestone in our success story. The membership qualification requires discipline and commitment to ensure that the business is running to the highest levels of safety and efficiency. We are very proud of this achievement which is a reflection of the integrity and hard work of the highly skilled workforce at flydubai.”

Since its launch in 2009, flydubai has been challenging the conventions of air travel in the region and has been committed to creating free flows of trade and tourism between the UAE and previously underserved markets. The Iata membership will further strengthen the airline’s position as a regional player and provide an opportunity to help set the industry's priorities on key initiatives and drive industry change.

“We are delighted to welcome flydubai to Iata. Having a Middle East-based new model airline as a full member broadens our airline representation and allows us to serve the industry more effectively. We look forward to representing flydubai and our other member airlines as we work to tackle the many broad and complex issues facing aviation globally,” said Hussein Dabbas, Iata’s regional vice president, Africa and the Middle East.

“Iata is dedicated to improving the safety of aviation through driving IOSA-registration. As such we are pleased to welcome flydubai into the fold of the IOSA-registered airlines.,” he concluded.

Flydubai operates a single type fleet of 50 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft with an average age of 3.4 years. The carrier has built a network of 89 destinations served by more than 1,700 flights a week operating out of Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. - TradeArabia News Service