Indonesia Issues New Air Travel Regulations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Government issued new regulations on air travel during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The rules are stipulated in Transportation Minister Decree Number 88/2021.

"It's effective starting on October 24, 2021," said Director-General of Air Transport at the Transportation Ministry, Novie Riyanto, on Friday, October 22.

The latest issuance regulates the would-be passengers taking flights from or to airports in Java and Bali, as well as regions under level 3 & 4 PPKM (Covid-19 restriction), must show vaccination card of at least the first dose and negative result of RT-PCR test, maximum 2x24 hours before departure.

Meanwhile, for flights from and to airports outside of Java-Bali regions categorized as level 1 and 2 PPKM, would-be passengers must show negative result of RT-PCR test 2x24 hours before departure or RT-antigen test 1x24 hours before departure.

Children under 12 years old and people with special health condition are in the exempted category. However, children below 12 years old must be accompanied y their parent or familywhich can be proven by showing family card. Meanwhile, the people with special health condition must show health sertificate from state-owned hospital stating that the individual has yet/ can yet to get Covid-19 vaccine.

Showing vaccination sertificate is also not mandatory for passengers of small aircraft and airlines that serve underdeveloped and border regions flights.

During the implementation period of the air travel new rules, Novie went on, the passengers seat capacity categorized as narrow-body and wide-body jet transport may be increased to over 70 percent. "But the airliner must provide three rows of seat dedicated for quarantine area for passengers indicated to have Covid-19 symptoms," he remarked.

Read: Strict Health Protocols Imposed On Air Travel: Govt Explains Why

Antara