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[-3E-]

$2500

[gugelhupf]

[Vertumnus]

[guruengerish]

U.S. Gov't Questions Safety of Indonesian Domestic Air Space
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Issues a Warning for U.S. Citizens Flying Internally in Indonesia.

Bali News: U.S. Gov't Questions Safety of Indonesian Domestic Air Space
(4/21/2007) The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta has posted a warning on its website urging U.S. nationals to to fly directly to the Indonesian destinations on international carriers "from countries whose civil aviation authorities meet international aviation safety standards for the oversight of their air carrier operations under the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program."

As reported on balidiscovery.com, the Indonesian government on March 22, 2007 introduced a new rating system covering all domestic civil air operators and dividing them into three categories depending on the assessed safety of each airline. [See: On the Eve of Closure, Adam Air Gets a Reprieve]

Following the new classification system by the Indonesian Government, on April 16, 2007 the FAA announced that it had revised Indonesia's safety oversight category from Category 1 to Category 2 due to serious concerns about Direcor General of Civil Aviation's safety oversight and operational control systems. Category 2 indicates that the FAA has assessed the Government of Indonesia's Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Indonesia's air carrier operations.

The move by the U.S. Government effectively calls into question the safety of all domestic air operators in Indonesia, urging U.S. citizens to only into major international gateways on foreign airlines and avoid internal connection flights within Indonesia.

[Vertumnus]

Here's the exact text, minus the irrelevant, standard garbage at the end.

U.S. Embassy Jakarta
U.S. Consulate General Surabaya
Warden Message
April 17, 2007

Indonesia has suffered a series of serious aviation incidents and accidents in recent months that raise questions about the safety practices of Indonesian air carriers and their oversight by the Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). On April 16, 2007, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it had revised Indonesia’s safety oversight category from Category 1 to Category 2 due to serious concerns about DGCA’s safety oversight and operational control systems. Category 2 indicates that the FAA has assessed the Government of Indonesia’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Indonesia’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s internet website at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

It is important to note that the FAA category designation is different from that used by the DCGA in its March 22, 2007 media release outlining the results of an operational performance assessment for all domestic air carriers. The assessment examined the performance of airlines using 20 different criteria; however, the DGCA has not identified detailed methodology supporting the ratings. Categories as defined in the media release, and DGCA domestic airline assessments, are as follows:

Category One: Airline meets all requirements of civil aviation safety regulations: No Indonesian air carrier was found to meet minimum civil aviation safety standards.

Category Two: Airline has met minimal requirements of civil aviation safety regulations, but some requirements have not been implemented: Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Lion Mentari Airlines, Sriwijaya Air, Wing Abadi Airlines, Indonesia Air Asia, Pelita Air Service, Riau Airlines, Trigna Air Service, Travel Express Aviation Service, Republic Express Airlines, and Express Transportasi Antarbenua.

Category Three: Airline has met minimal requirements of civil aviation safety regulations, but some requirements have not been implemented, which may reduce safety levels: Metro Batavia, AdamSky Connections Airlines, Kartika Airlines, Trans Wisata Air, Jatayu Gelang Sejahtera, PT. Dirgantara Air Service, Tri MG, Intra Asia Airlines, Manunggal Air Service.

Whenever possible, Americans traveling to and from Indonesia should fly directly to their destinations on international carriers from countries whose civil aviation authorities meet international aviation safety standards for the oversight of their air carrier operations under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.

[Cardinal Synn]

It might be worth mentioning here that for those worried about entering on a one way ticket, there is always the Singapore - Batam - Jakarta alternative. However, it's really for those who wish to go out of Indo for an hour and return for the sake of getting another (tourist) Visa.
It's also for the more adventurous and involves speedboats and stuff. Good fun though.

[director]

Agree with you...not only fun but CHEAPER...Have tried it once and did enjoy the trip..."cmon now !!!

[laughing_magpie06]

Return airfare Jkt - Btm - Jkt is about 600,000 rp or less maybe. Boat ride is 23 SGP$ return and as director said a lot more fun. I always found imigrasi to be much friendlier and less in your face there too. You can have a beer quite cheaply too while you are waiting for the next ride.

[guruengerish]

When the debate was going on about visa on arrival in the press, there was some mention made that once a tourist has had his/her 30-day stay in Indonesia, they had to leave the country for a minimum of a month or similar.

I take it that this does not apply now, or was never introduced, if one can return from Singapore on the same day and get a new tourist visa.

What's the latest?

[malu]

In today's Jak Post: 2 FT's from TBI Bogor were DEPORTED after being found working on business visas.

This smacks of sloppy workmanship on behalf of the school - who really should have been able to sort that one out 'informally' with Imigrasi - or of spoiling tactics by a 3rd party.

[guruengerish]

Seems to me that someone slipped up here, as most TBI staff used to start on either a business or tourist visa.

Isn't that how most teachers start? They come in on a tourist visa, do one month probation and if OK, they're shipped off to Singapore for a work permit, KITAS etc.