KUALA LUMPUR (April 12): Long-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia X Malaysia (AAXM) has received its third biennial IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registration.

In a statement today, AAXM said the registration affirmed its commitment to the highest standards of operational safety.

IOSA is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess an airline's operational management and control systems, and is regarded by the industry as the global benchmark for safety management.

AAXM said that to qualify for the registration, it was required to complete an operational safety audit covering eight areas of operations: organisation and management system, flight operations, operational control and flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground handling operations, cargo operations, and security management.

AAXM chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the third IOSA registration was a testament to the airline's commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards across its operations.

"Safety is at the heart of everything we do and we will strive to not only meet regulatory requirements at all times but to surpass them," he said.

AAXM joined the IOSA Registry on April 16, 2015, becoming the second airline in Malaysia to pass the internationally recognised operational safety audit.