Codeshare Audit Support & Partner Airline Oversight

CODESHARE & PARTNER AIRLINE AUDITS · Aero Support Group FZCO · Updated 22 October 2026

KEY TOPIC When an airline sells seats on a partner's flights, its passengers fly under the partner's safety standards. EASA requires EU operators to verify, before entering a codeshare with a third country operator, that the partner complies with the applicable ICAO standards and then to monitor it. Other authorities and airlines have similar expectations. ASG designs partner safety assessment programmes and audits codeshare, wet-lease and charter partners on the airline's behalf.

AVIATION CONSULTING PROJECTS

0 +

Countries Covered

0 +

Marketing · Operating · Wet-Lease

0 Audits

Partner Risk Monitoring

0 /7

What the rules require

EASA: under ORO.AOC.115 an EU operator may enter a code-share agreement with a third country operator only after verifying that the partner complies with the applicable ICAO standards. The verification is based on an initial audit and continues through a monitoring programme, with the operator ready to suspend the agreement if the partner no longer complies.
United States: US carriers assess their foreign code-share partners under the Department of Transportation and FAA code-share safety guidance, and IOSA audits are commonly used as part of that assessment.
Other authorities and airlines set comparable conditions for codeshare, wet-lease and charter arrangements, often requiring IOSA registration or an equivalent audit.

For wet-lease, EASA operators must also meet the requirements of ORO.AOC.110 on leasing, including prior approval for wet-leasing in aircraft from a third country operator.

Building a partner assessment programme

1. Scope. List every partner arrangement: codeshare, wet-lease, charter and interline where relevant, with routes, fleet and volume.

2. Criteria. Use the applicable ICAO Annexes as the baseline, with the airline’s own requirements and, where it applies, the IOSA Standards Manual.

3. Initial assessment. Review the partner’s AOC and operations specifications, its State’s oversight record, its IOSA registration and report where available, and safety data such as ramp inspection results. Audit on site where the evidence is insufficient or the risk is high.

4. Monitoring. Track the partner’s IOSA status, findings, occurrences, the EU Air Safety List, and changes in fleet or management, and repeat the assessment at defined intervals.

5. Decisions. Feed the results into the airline’s safety review board, with clear criteria for continuing, restricting or suspending the arrangement.

Using IOSA reports An IOSA registration and audit report give a structured view of a partner's operational management and control. They do not replace the operator's own judgement: the report has to be reviewed against the airline's criteria, open findings followed up, and areas outside the IOSA scope assessed separately.

Where partner oversight falls short

The initial audit is done, but monitoring stops once the agreement is signed.
An IOSA certificate is filed without reading the audit report or checking its date and scope.
Wet-lease and charter partners used at short notice are not assessed.
Partner occurrences and ramp inspection findings are not tracked.
The safety review board never sees partner assessment results.

How ASG supports partner oversight

Design of the partner safety assessment programme and procedures, aligned with ORO.AOC.115 or the applicable national rules.
Audit checklists based on the ICAO Annexes and the ISM.
Initial and recurrent audits of codeshare, wet-lease and charter partners on the airline’s behalf.
Review of partner IOSA reports and follow-up of open findings.
Monitoring support between audits.
Preparation for authority and IOSA audits of the airline’s partner oversight.

Conclusion

A codeshare extends the airline’s brand to a partner’s operation. A programme that assesses partners before signing and monitors them afterwards protects passengers and gives the authority the evidence it expects. ASG builds and runs those programmes.

Frequently asked questions

Do EU airlines have to audit codeshare partners?

Yes for third country partners. ORO.AOC.115 requires the operator to verify the partner’s compliance with the applicable ICAO standards through an initial audit and a monitoring programme.

Is IOSA registration enough?

It provides strong evidence, but the operator should review the audit report, follow up open findings and assess anything outside the IOSA scope against its own criteria.

How often should partners be reassessed?

At intervals set in the airline’s programme, based on risk, with earlier review when the partner’s IOSA status, safety record, fleet or management changes.

Does this apply to wet-lease partners?

Yes. Wet-lease arrangements carry the same safety exposure, and EASA operators must also meet the leasing requirements in ORO.AOC.110.

Can ASG audit partners for us?

Yes. ASG carries out partner audits on behalf of airlines and can also design the programme and train the airline’s own auditors.

Key takeaways

ORO.AOC.115 requires EU operators to verify third country codeshare partners
Assessment uses the ICAO Annexes as the baseline
IOSA reports are evidence, not a substitute for review
Monitoring continues after the agreement is signed
Results should reach the safety review board

Need a partner audit or assessment programme?

Tell us your partners and arrangements. ASG will propose an assessment programme or carry out the audits.

ASG

Aero Support Group

Global Aviation Consulting

Aero Support Group (ASG) is an aviation safety, quality and compliance consultancy with offices in Dubai and Istanbul and a branch office in London. It prepares airlines, MROs, ground handlers, airports and civil aviation authorities for IOSA and ISAGO audits, EASA and UK CAA Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation, EASA and FAA Part-145 approval, and ICAO USOAP audits.

Its work also covers Part-CAMO, Part-M and Part-147, Part-IS information security, SMS, QMS and SeMS development, gap analyses, mock audits and corrective action plans, operations manuals and MOEs, emergency response and business continuity planning, DAQCP, IFQP, JIG and IDQP inspection preparation, ACC3, RA3 and KC3 cargo security validation, CEIV Pharma, and SAF and CORSIA compliance.

ASG has completed 1,000+ projects at 500+ airports in 100+ countries. Its consultants have also served as subject matter experts, auditors and advisors for ICAO, IATA Consulting, IATA audit pools (IOSA, ISAGO, IDQP, IFQP), PRISM, ARGUS International and RSM.