Indonesian Transportation Ministry: It’s the Law! Operate at Least 10 Aircraft, Merge or Cease Operations!

Indonesian civil aviation authorities have set an ultimatum for commercial airlines operating in their country: operate at least 10 aircraft, merge with another air carrier, or end operations for good. TravelMole reports the Indonesian Transportation Ministry has given non-compliant carriers until June 30 to catch up with current aviation law.

The edict is an enforcement action on an Indonesian law already on the books. Under the law, commercial Indonesian airlines are required to operate a minimum of 10 aircraft, with at least five under the carrier’s direct ownership. Airlines that fail to own at least five aircraft and operate 10 by the deadline face having their flight certificates revoked.

“We have conveyed [the requirements] to [commercial airlines],” said Muzaffar Ismali, director of airworthiness and flight operations at the Indonesian Transportation Ministry. “If they don’t meet the requirement by June 30, we’ll just halt their operations. We will not postpone implementation.”

The original law was passed in 2009 after Adam Air suffered a number of aviation accidents before ultimately going bankrupt. The latest enforcement action comes as the country reels from a number of high-profile incidents in recent months, including the tragic crash of AirAsia Indonesia Flight 8501 and the rioting of 6,000 displaced travelers in Jakarta’s airport after several Lion Air flights were cancelled due to damaged aircraft.

The law and subsequent enforcement actions are undertaken with the intention of increasing passenger safety and preventing future service disruptions. Official audits of Indonesian airlines are slated to begin next month, with final safety ratings delivered to all commercial airlines in September.

[Photo: iStock]