Air safety<\/p>\n
Our condolences go out to the families of those who died on
\nMandala Airlines flight RI 091. We also grieve for the residents
\non the ground in Medan who were killed when the Boeing 737-200
\naircraft smashed down in the residential area of Padang Bulan,
\nnear Polonia airport.<\/p>\n
The crash is a ghastly reminder of the catastrophe of
\nSeptember 1997 when a Garuda Airlines Airbus A-300B4 plunged into
\na mountain range near Medan killing all 234 on board.<\/p>\n
It must be a grim reality for people in Indonesia's third-
\nlargest city to again be witnesses to such a dreadful tragedy.<\/p>\n
These tragedies, however, should not diminish our desire to
\ntravel by air. Air travel is an established form of
\ntransportation, which helps unite Indonesia's vast archipelago.
\nStatistically, one has more of a chance of being killed in a road
\naccident than in an airplane crash.<\/p>\n
With the flight recorder now being analyzed and an
\ninvestigation underway, it is hoped that the cause of the failed
\ntakeoff of flight RI 091 can be found.<\/p>\n
Monday's crash should be a reminder to all airline operators
\nto never slacken off with their safety-first attitude.<\/p>\n
The latest crash is the third major air tragedy in less than a
\nyear. According to reports, since 2004 there have been over two
\ndozen air accidents here.<\/p>\n
Though not necessarily the cause of the crash, one does wonder
\nwhether sometimes airlines do \"cut corners\" in the world of
\nfierce competition among budget airlines. Combined with soaring
\nfuel prices, airlines are bound to make compromises in their
\nservice.<\/p>\n
To cut down on the quality of in-flight meals is
\nunderstandable. We only hope it has not led to cutting back on
\nthe budget for maintenance and other necessities.<\/p>\n
Airlines must remember that passengers entrust their lives to
\nthem each time they board an airplane. It would be the greatest
\nviolation of trust if carriers knowingly compromised on safety.<\/p>\n
The crash in Medan also highlighted the need to re-emphasize
\nbasic protocol concerning passenger manifests and protocol during
\nsuch accidents.<\/p>\n
Several people, whose names were on the original manifest, it
\nturns out, were not on that airplane. Not only is this a
\nviolation of established airline procedures, but more importantly
\nit poses a huge security risk when people can easily board using
\nassumed names.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, it is a normal practice during domestic flights
\nfor people to board without having to show proper identification.<\/p>\n
We also believe criticism is due the officials of Mandala
\nAirlines for giving out the names on the manifest so readily to
\nthe media; and without prior confirmation about the status of
\neach passenger concerned. In the immediate hours after the crash
\nthere were various reports of people being misidentified simply
\nbecause their name was on the manifest. One can only imagine the
\nemotional roller coaster families must have gone through to be in
\nutter grief at the news of their loved ones, only to find out
\nlater that the individual was not on the flight.<\/p>\n
There is much to be learned from this tragedy. Failure to do
\nso will only worsen future disasters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-safety-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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