23 December 2025
SARPcheck Safety Audits
A new codeshare and wet-lease business enabler at marginal cost
A new era of accessible, recognised global safety certification
For decades, airline safety certification has been a domain dominated by large and well-funded carriers - complex, resource-intensive, and for these reasons often inaccessible to the very operators who would benefit most from joining the global safety community. Traditional audit programmes, such as those linked to codeshare and wet-lease arrangements with major safety-certified airlines, were essential tools to unlock new commercial opportunities - but the price tag and administrative challenges were not for everyone.
That dynamic is now changing. With the launch of SARPcheck, a new globally available airline safety audit program, the aviation industry has, for the first time, a certification model that combines the rigour of ICAO-aligned standards with affordability and practical accessibility for small and mid-sized operators.
SARPcheck, started operations just over a year ago under the governance of SARP Ltd., a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting global safety alignment, has rapidly evolved into one of the most promising enablers for international growth and cooperation among airlines.
From compliance to opportunity
At its core, SARPcheck was designed to simplify access to global safety recognition while maintaining uncompromising standards. It assesses an airline’s conformance with selected ICAO Annexes relevant to operational safety - Annexes 1, 2, 6, 8, 17, 18, and 19 – in a structured, transparent, and comparable way.
Yet the program’s significance goes beyond compliance. It acts as a business enabler, helping operators demonstrate their safety maturity to potential partners, regulators, and insurers. For many regional and developing-market carriers, this opens doors to commercial relationships that were previously out of reach.
“SARPcheck provides airlines with a recognised safety credential that can translate directly into new revenue opportunities,” says Patrick Lutz, Director of SARP Ltd. and CEO of AEROTHRIVE, the busiest SARPcheck audit company. “For the first time, smaller and mid-sized airlines can position themselves as credible, safe partners for codeshare and wet-lease operations - without facing the financial barriers that may have excluded them from similar opportunities in the past
Affordability without compromise
What truly differentiates SARPcheck is its cost structure, as SARPcheck audits typically cost a fraction of the amounts necessary in the past.
In recent SARPcheck cases, audit fees have dropped to as low as EUR 10,000 - or even less. This has been made possible through a growing wave of support from aviation insurers, who, after analysing the programme’s methodology and results, recognised that SARPcheck assessments measurably reduce risk exposure by identifying and addressing operational weaknesses before they lead to incidents.
Consequently, several insurers have begun subsidising audit fees for participating airlines through their safety bursaries, viewing SARPcheck as an effective risk-mitigation tool. The program also mandates strict cost discipline, including an economy-class-only travel policy for auditors, ensuring transparency and integrity in cost allocation.
“This model ensures that safety enhancement and cost-efficiency are not mutually exclusive,” says Lutz. “Operators get access to international-grade audits, while insurers benefit from reduced exposure, and regulators gain better visibility on compliance maturity. Everyone wins”
Global recognition and regulatory alignment
Behind SARPcheck’s rapid success lies its close collaboration with civil aviation authorities (CAAs) around the world. The governance body of SARP Ltd. is in ongoing contact with more than 20 national authorities, designing the program to be compatible with their expectations regarding acceptance of external safety assessments for codeshare and wet-lease oversight.
This alignment ensures that SARPcheck certifications hold practical value - they are not just symbolic badges, but meaningful compliance instruments that can directly facilitate cooperation between airlines and regulatory bodies.
A growing network of certified airlines
In just over one year since its inception, 16 airlines across five continents have already undergone SARPcheck audits, a remarkable achievement for a programme still in its early stages.
All 16 assessments were conducted with the participation of AEROTHRIVE, the first and currently busiest accredited SARPcheck audit company, whose expertise spans the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. Each audit resulted in a comprehensive maturity profile identifying both confirmed strengths and improvement opportunities.
The SARPcheck registry, publicly accessible via www.sarp.org, lists all certified operators along with direct links to the three approved audit organisations. Visitors can also browse operator logos, learn about the certification criteria, and find contact information for governance and audit inquiries.
Trusted by leading carriers
One of the most encouraging indicators of SARPcheck’s credibility is the growing number of major airlines that recognise the certification in their codeshare and wet-lease evaluations.
Among the first to formally acknowledge SARPcheck’s positive value are Condor German Airlines and the TUI Group, both respected for their stringent safety and quality standards. For them, SARPcheck provides an additional layer of assurance when evaluating the safety performance of potential ACMI or wet-lease partners.
“As large operators seek reliable capacity partners in a volatile market, safety transparency becomes a differentiator,” says Lutz. “SARPcheck helps create that transparency quickly, objectively, and at an accessible cost.”
A not-for-profit governance model
Unlike commercial certification schemes, SARPcheck is governed by SARP Ltd., a not-for-profit entity founded with the sole objective of promoting safer skies through standardisation, transparency, and cooperation. This governance model ensures that no profit motive influences certification outcomes.
The tripartite structure - one governance organisation (SARP Ltd.) and multiple independent audit companies such as AEROTHRIVE - ensures accountability, impartiality, and competition on quality rather than price alone.
Each audit organisation must comply with a detailed accreditation standard, and auditor competence is verified through regular training and peer-reviewed performance evaluations.
Empowering developing markets and smaller carriers
For airlines in emerging markets, SARPcheck offers something unprecedented: a globally recognised safety audit that is financially attainable. Operators that previously could not afford global certification audits now have a credible opportunity to demonstrate safety excellence and attract partnerships.
In many regions, this can mean the difference between being limited to domestic operations and entering international markets through codeshare or wet-lease opportunities. By providing a realistic path to certification, SARPcheck effectively democratises access to safety validation and helps level the playing field in a traditionally unequal landscape.
Looking ahead
With industry interest growing, SARP Ltd. expects to double the number of certified operators in the coming year. The focus will continue to be on sustainability, transparency, and collaboration with regulators and insurers to ensure that the program remains both credible and affordable.
The long-term vision is to see SARPcheck become a recognised global reference for operator-level safety maturity - a practical bridge between ICAO principles, state oversight, and the commercial realities of modern aviation partnerships.
For airlines, the opportunity has never been clearer: a path to global recognition, new revenue streams, and demonstrable safety leadership - all at a fraction of historical costs.
Visit www.sarp.org to learn more about the program, explore the certified operator registry, or contact one of the three authorised SARPcheck audit organisations for further information.
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Henrik Baark
Secretary
SARP Ltd.
About the author
Henrik Baark is Secretary of SARP Ltd. (the not-for-profit governance organisation of the SARPcheck program) and Partner of AEROTHRIVE GmbH, the busiest SARPcheck audit company. He has overseen more than 100 international aviation safety audits and serves as an advocate for accessible, high-integrity safety certification worldwide.
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