Transportation Ministry Demands Lift on Domestic Airline Ban

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry continue to strive for the no-fly ban on domestic airlines to the European Union (EU) to be revoked.  The ministry plans to take some airlines to the EASA office in Brussel.

“In November, we will take some domestic airlines to the EASA trial to lift flight ban to the EU,” said Muzaffar Ismail, the Airworthiness and Aircraft Operation Director the Ministry of Transportation, on Monday, June 29.  Those airlines include Citilink, Lion Air Group and Indonesia AirAsia X.

Although only bringing a number of airlines, Muzaffar said his side will not submit the airlines one by one to the EU in order for the flight ban to be lifted.  Efforts will be made through reconciliation in the system, such as airlines should meet CASR 121 and 135.  “So we only perform oversight functions,” he said.

Muzaffar is certain that the EU will revoke the ban.  To prepare for the trial in the EASA, Muzaffar says, the ministry have involved expert advisor from France to conduct surveillance.  Together they perform airline surveillance with the inspector from the Transportation Ministry. The ministry will invite airlines to organize a briefing on Tuesday.

The flight ban to EU will bring benefit to airlines. Internationally, there are three highly influential authorities in the world of aviation, they are ICAO, FAA and EASA.

So far, from 61 airlines in Indonesia, four airlines have been revoked of its flight ban including Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia, Indonesia AirAsia and Premiair.  A flight ban is declared to airlines that do not meet the safety and security standards in the air safety list.  The air safety list is arranged by EU’s Air Safety Committee comprising flight safety experts.

AMIRULLAH