Dear USAPA,
Thanks for helping us run a safe airline and keeping your wages low.
USNews Now: IATA Operational Safety Audit Preliminary Results: An Important Message from COO Robert Isom
May 9, 2011
Dear Fellow Employee:
I wanted to share some great news with you today that is a further validation of all of your efforts to run one of the safest airlines in the business. We have received notice that preliminary results show that we scored very well on our recently completed 2011 International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). This is no small feat, since more than 2,600 items related to safety are checked by independent inspectors. Final results will be announced in September.
Every two years, these international inspectors comb through our operation - covering Safety, Flight Operations, InFlight, Dispatch, Technical Operations, Security, Cargo and Airport Customer Service. IOSA has always been the gold standard for airline safety inspections, and our operation reflects that same gold standard. It is our fourth IOSA audit, which IATA conducts every two years. My thanks go out to all those from US Airways that were involved with the audit.
Our commitment to safety has never been higher. You may be familiar with our work involving the Safety Management System (SMS). We remain the only U.S. airline to have every operating group included in this company-wide program to identify, assess and mitigate risks to ensure an even safer airline. And now, we’re the only U.S. airline to have our SMS validated by IOSA – meeting not just FAA requirements, but international standards as well.
These efforts can be seen in the daily operation, where, for example, in April we experienced the lowest level of deferred maintenance items on the Minimum Equipment List (MEL) since the merger in 2005. Last month, we also saw the lowest monthly number of Non-essential Equipment and Furnishings (NEFs) on the maintenance list since the program began. This means we have more aircraft departing with fewer customer convenience items out of service than ever before – items like inoperable reading lights or other items that don’t pose a risk to flight safety. Since 2008, our hard work in these areas has meant that we have reduced maintenance-related cancellations by more than 32 percent, or 900 fewer flight cancellations.
You should be proud that we are consistently recognized for operating one of the best airlines in the U.S., and that is a direct reflection of every employee in the company. And now, international inspectors are recognizing what we see every day: That US Airways is a great airline with great people ensuring every flight is the safest possible. Thank you for running a safe, reliable airline AND for taking great care of our customers.
Robert
USAPA = Gold Standard. Not.
