DE-ICING & FUEL QUALITY · Aero Support Group FZCO · Updated 23 October 2026
Who this is for
- De-icing/anti-icing service providers and airports that operate de-icing.
- Fuel suppliers, depot and hydrant operators and into-plane agents.
- Potable water service providers at airports.
- Airlines that must oversee these contracted services under CAT.OP.MPA.250, 14 CFR 121.629, AMC M.A.301-1 or 14 CFR 121.373.
De-icing and anti-icing: IATA DAQCP
The DAQCP is an IATA pool of 160+ airlines that inspects de-icing providers every winter, about 650 inspections at around 500 airports. The checklist is based on SAE AS6285 (now AS6285F), with training under AS6286E and quality management under AS6332A. Holdover times follow the FAA and Transport Canada guidelines reissued each August.
Aviation fuel: JIG and IFQP
JIG publishes JIG 1 (into-plane), JIG 2 (depots and hydrants), JIG 4 (smaller airports) and, with the Energy Institute, EI/JIG 1530. More than 2,750 facilities are inspected to JIG standards every year, and Issue 14 is planned for January 2027. The IATA Fuel Quality Pool, with 220+ member airlines, inspects suppliers against a checklist based on the JIG standards. Fuel must meet DEF STAN 91-091 (Issue 19, October 2026) or ASTM D1655.
Drinking water: IATA IDQP
The IATA Drinking-water Quality Pool shares audits of potable water providers. Audits follow the chain from source to aircraft and draw on WHO guidance and the IATA Airport Handling Manual.
How ASG works
- Pre-inspection gap assessments against the current checklist and standards.
- Procedure updates when standards, bulletins or holdover tables change.
- Records and training matrices that inspectors can follow.
- Mock inspections with written reports.
- Corrective action plans and closure evidence after inspection.
- For airlines: supplier oversight programmes that use pool reports properly.
Conclusion
De-icing, fuel and water services are inspected against standards that change every year. Providers that keep up with those changes and keep honest records pass with few findings, and airlines that use pool reports well meet their oversight duties. ASG supports both sides.
Frequently asked questions
JIG publishes fuel handling standards and runs inspections of member facilities. IFQP is an IATA airline pool that inspects fuel suppliers against a checklist based on JIG standards and shares the reports among airlines.
SAE AS6285 for processes, AS6286 for training and AS6332 for quality management. The DAQCP checklist is based on AS6285.
No. Airlines remain responsible for de-icing procedures and fuel quality under their own regulations and must oversee providers.
No. ASG prepares organisations for these inspections. The inspections are carried out by the pools’ or JIG’s own inspectors.
Key takeaways
- DAQCP covers de-icing; JIG and IFQP cover fuel; IDQP covers drinking water
- Standards and checklists change every season
- Airlines keep oversight responsibility
- SAF is handled as conventional jet fuel once blended
- ASG prepares providers; it does not conduct the official inspections
Need help with a de-icing or fuel inspection?
Tell us your operation and the inspection you are facing. ASG will set out what needs to be in place.