London Stansted-based auditor DCA International has now audited FBOs at seven airports according to the IS-BAH handling standard. As well as Inflite at London Stansted and Harrods Aviation at London Luton and Stansted, the company recently completed a successful first stage IS-BAH audit on IAM Jet Centres of the Caribbean, covering Barbados, Montego Bay, Tortola and Grenada.

IAM MD Paul Worrell states: “We are big believers in the IS-BAH programme for all the right reasons. It is the continuing benchmark for good practice across all of our operations.” DCAI MD David Curgenven says that progress with IS-BAH has been slower than he hoped at the outset, but the scheme is still in its infancy. “It is beginning to gain momentum,” he explains. “We feel that more could be done to promote the service; at the moment it is being left up to us. Through constant contact with potential clients in Europe, we are trying to persuade more companies about the value of the programme.

“As well as Europe we have contacted clients in the Middle East and Africa. The only region we haven't covered is the Americas, because we know that there are so many auditors in the States that could do it more cheaply than ourselves.”

Curgenven concludes: “I think everyone believes that it's going to take off, but at the moment it is quite difficult. We would like to see more organisations looking to implement these standards because it provides a great boost in safety confidence.”

DCAI's principal auditors David Curgenven and Theresa Wooll have carried out more than 300 audits of airlines, airports and handlers in recent years.