Indonesia and World Tourism News

(Adds transport minister quotes)

JAKARTA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia may seek help from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to comply with European Union (EU) air safety standards, Indonesia’s Vice President said on Friday, which could open the door to European routes.

The European Commission updated on Wednesday its list of airlines banned from flying to Europe.

It lifted a ban on Pakistan International Airlines, but kept 51 Indonesian airlines, including Garuda, on the blacklist.

“Garuda has talked to KLM for consultancy to help comply with the European (airline) standard,” Kalla told reporters.

“We should not misunderstand this. Don’t get angry with them. This is a good opportunity to push ourselves to resolve this problem. It’s true that the key for airline business is safety.”

Indonesia has suffered from a string of airline accidents in recent years, raising questions about safety standards and leading to the commission’s ban in June.

A Garuda plane crashed while landing at Yogyakarta in March, killing 21 people. In January, 102 people aboard an Adam Air jet were killed when it plunged into the sea off Sulawesi.

An EU team visited Indonesia earlier this month as part of a review for deciding whether to lift the ban.

Transport Minister Jusman Syafi’i Djamal said France, Germany and the Netherlands had expressed interest in helping with expertise, but he did not elaborate.

The minister said an EU team would visit Indonesia again in three months’ time to conduct another review.

“They want proof that the improvement already achieved by Indonesian airlines and the Indonesian regulator is sustained, not temporary,” he told Reuters in an interview.

But Djamal criticised the European Union’s blanket ban on Indonesian airlines, describing it as a policy of isolation and punishment.

“To improve the safety level we need time, we need experts and we need cooperation between nations. We don’t believe that isolation and punishment is a good policy,” Djamal said.

Although no Indonesian airline now flies to EU member states, the ban means tourist agencies are obliged to warn customers Indonesian airlines are unsafe, if they sell package tours that use such domestic carriers.

Garuda is also keen to resume flights to the Netherlands so that it can benefit from a rise in tourism. The Dutch were Indonesia’s colonial rulers for more than 300 years and for many years chaired the country’s foreign aid donors group.

KLM is the Dutch arm of Air France KLM.

As part of its safety improvements, Indonesia has signed an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, established an independent regulator, and streamlined air traffic control.

The country has also been working to improve the skills and pay for airline industry workers, as well as to set up an independent and capable accident investigating agency.

Air travel in Indonesia has blossomed since the sector was deregulated in 1999, as several new airlines sprung up. (Reporting by Muhamad Al Azhari and Ahmad Pathoni; Editing by Sara Webb and Jerry Norton)

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/