International Aviation Safety Assessment Program

In the aftermath of the January 25, 1990, crash of Avianca flight 52 on Long Island, New York, questions emerged about how the FAA conducted safety oversight of foreign air carriers flying into the United States.[2] In response to a five-part Newsday series on the poor safety record of some foreign airlines that appeared in December 1990,[3][4] the FAA established the IASA program in 1992.

Following an IASA audit, a country is assigned one of two ratings:

• Category 1 (Meets ICAO standards): The FAA has assessed the country's civil aviation authority and determined that it licenses aviation personnel and oversees air carrier operations and airworthiness in accordance with ICAO aviation safety standards;[5] or
• Category 2 (Does not meet ICAO standards): The FAA has assessed the country's civil aviation authority and determined that it does not provide safety oversight of its air carrier operators in accordance with the minimum safety oversight standards established by ICAO.[5]

Carriers from Category 2 countries are allowed to continue operating to the United States as before the assessment, but are not allowed to expand their service to the US or codeshare with US carriers. Additionally, such carriers may be subject to heightened ramp inspections.[5]

• IASA Program at the FAA website