EU Continues its Blacklist of Indonesian Aviation

(12/3/2007)

Long-awaited reports from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) that could have cleared the way for the lifting of the current blacklisting of Indonesian aviation have now been published. While noting improvements have been made in aviation safety, EASA decided to leave the current ban in place, saying much remains to be done before the skies of the Republic can be declared "safe" for European travelers.

The EU reviewed the results of a six-man team sent to Indonesia to audit safety of domestic carriers. The EU aviation safety and environment director Roberto Salvarani announced that "both the Indonesian presentation and the report of the audit by our own experts indicate there has been some progress." Adding "it (progress) is marginal when compared with the overall restructuring that the administration needs to do."

Placing much of the blame on Indonesia's civil aviation authority, Salvarani called for a complete reorganization, with sufficient resources and political commitment to ensure the Government is competent to oversee 42 air operators. Salvarani concluded, "it's obvious that today it cannot...so the decision was taken that the entire fleet from Indonesia will remain on the blacklist."

The continuing "blacklisting" prohibits Indonesian aircraft from landing in Europe, a ban of little consequence given the fact that no Indonesian carrier currently flies to any European port. At the same time, however, the ban continue to casts Indonesian aviation in a negative light and thwarts the desires and abilities of European travelers to visit Indonesian destinations beyond their international port of arrival.

In reaching its decision to continue its negative review of Indonesian air operations, the EU exchanged notes with the Australian Civil Aviation Authority and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration who reportedly supported the EU view that the administration of Indonesian flight operations still suffered from major weaknesses.

Protests from Indonesian Authorities

The Indonesian press reports that the Minister of Transportation, Jusman Syafii Djamal, was indignant at the continuing blacklisting of Indonesian aviation, depicting the decision as "discriminative" and vowing to send a letter of protest to the EU Commission on Transportation.

Meanwhile, the Minister is resisting calls from national politicians to introduce retaliatory bans on European carriers over-flying Indonesian air space.

Related Story

[Indonesian Aviation Seeking a European Stamp of Approval]

[The Unfriendly Skies of Europe]

[Raising the Bar on Indonesian Air Safety]