The enhanced ISAGO model divides the assessment into two stages. Stage 1 is a documentation review in which the auditor assesses your Ground Operations Manual (GOM) for completeness, IGOM alignment, and format compliance. If Stage 1 is passed, Stage 2 proceeds — the on-site operational assessment at your ground handling station. If Stage 1 reveals significant GOM deficiencies, the on-site assessment is postponed until those deficiencies are resolved. This makes GOM quality the first critical gate in ISAGO preparation.

ISAGO certificates are valid for two years. Organisations must maintain compliance throughout the certificate period and apply for renewal before the certificate expires. Significant operational changes — for example, starting a new ground handling service type or implementing new equipment — may require an interim compliance review. ASG offers continuous compliance monitoring between audits to ensure organisations are always prepared for renewal.

ISAGO certification is most commercially valuable for ground handlers providing ramp, passenger, baggage, cargo, and fuel services to international carriers at major airports. Airlines increasingly include ISAGO status requirements in their ground handling agreements — making certification a commercial necessity as well as a safety benchmark. Handlers serving multiple carriers at hub airports, or those seeking to expand into new markets, benefit most significantly from holding current ISAGO certification.

The IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM) is the global reference manual for standardised ground handling procedures. ISAGO audits assess whether a ground handler’s own procedures align with IGOM. Under the enhanced audit model, GOM-to-IGOM alignment must be explicitly demonstrated in documentation before the on-site assessment can proceed. Where a handler’s procedures deviate from IGOM, the deviation must be justified with a documented safety case demonstrating equivalent or superior outcomes.

Yes. ASG supports ground handling organisations with multi-station ISAGO programmes — helping standardise GOM documentation across stations, coordinate audit scheduling, and manage CAPs centrally. For large ground handling networks, ASG develops a standardised compliance framework that individual stations implement with appropriate local variations, ensuring efficiency across the programme while meeting all ISAGO requirements at each station level.