KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 4): The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) has awarded Malaysia Airlines Bhd the International Air Transportation Association's Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification for the seventh time since 2005.

In a statement today, Malaysia Airlines said it successfully underwent stringent checks by the world body's safety auditors.

As the first global standard for airline safety management, the IOSA programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline, and is the benchmark for global safety management in airlines.

It is a rigorous audit that looks at a wide range of the airlines operations, among others: corporate organisation and management; flight operations; operational control and flight dispatch; aircraft; engineering and maintenance; cabin operations; aircraft ground handling; cargo operations; and operational security.

"We have been IOSA certified since 2005 and maintaining safety standards has always been at the core of our existence at Malaysia Airlines. It is a never ending journey with total determination to ensure a safe and secure operational environment for our customers, staff and other stakeholders. It is ingrained in our day-to-day activities to always adhere to high safety standards, whether on ground or in the air," said Malaysia Airlines's chief executive officer Peter Bellew.