Bestfly has become the first Angolan operator to achieve IS-BAO Stage 1. The accreditation is designed to help flight departments and operators achieve a high level of safety and professionalism. This award also makes Bestfly one of the few companies in Africa to achieve the standard.

The audit was conducted by ARGUS International in the summer of 2014 and took just under six months to complete. An investment of US$75,000 was required to fulfil the training, audits and consulting that were necessary to achieve the required standards.

“It's a competitive environment and we wanted customers to automatically associate Bestfly with high levels of operations so they naturally think of us when they think of Angola,” comments md Nuno Pereia. “We are delighted to have achieved this milestone. It took a team effort to make it happen and without their commitment it wouldn't have been possible.”

The company is now aiming to complement the IS-BAO Stage 1 with the addition of the IS-BAH handling certification. “We have begun work on this and hope to achieve it by spring 2016,” Pereia says.