Big boost as Z Boskovic Air Charters bags IATA certification

One of Z Boskovic Air Charters aeroplane. [Courtesy]

Local charter airline Z Boskovic Air Charters is looking to expand its operations after gaining a new international certification standard.

The airline, which operates from Nairobi's Wilson Airport, has received the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA), which is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an operator.

IATA issues global standards for efficiency, security and safety of air operations.

Some of the benefits of being ISSA certified, according to IATA, include improved marketing and commercial advantages for operators.

Z Boskovic Head of Safety Simon Nyaga described the certification as critical to the airline's business.

This is particularly due to the clientele the airline serves, most of whom are international visitors.

"For a company that works with international clientele, our intention is to enhance safety. And once you have this certification, it means we have given an assurance to our international and local clientele that we are number one in terms of safety," he said.

Mr Nyaga detailed the process of certification, saying it was a rigorous exercise that involved an audit of the airline's procedures and processes.

This was done against the international standards, which the airline was required to comply with.

"What we followed are the international recommended safety standards, which had to be approved by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), and that is what led us to the certification," he said. Mr Nyaga said with the certification, there is an expectation of a markup in the airline's business.

"Definitely, we are going see a markup depending on how the international operators and our clients are going to appreciate it," he said.

Z Boskovic Air Charters Ltd business entails private charters, air ambulance, animal rescue, aerial and scenic viewing and freight business.

The 60-year-old airline operates 13 aircraft of the Cessna 208 model. In 2022, it operated 9,000 hours and it has a target of 11, 340 hours by the end of the year. Z Boskovic Air Charters Ltd Chairman Ken Kulei said the airline has emerged from the Covid pandemic downturn that saw the aviation industry grind to a halt at some point.

"We had to sell aircraft to survive; who knew we would be the first charter flight to achieve ISSA in this region?" he posed. The certification runs for two years before it is due for renewal.