Open skies policy limited to charter flights only

JAKARTA (JP): The government's recent decision to allow international airlines to fly from their home bases to all major destinations in Indonesia is being limited to chartered flights and will not apply to scheduled services.

Minister of Communications Giri Suseno Hadihardjono said on Monday that foreign airlines must also obtain permits from the local authorities before flying passengers from their home base to destinations in Indonesia.

"The foreign airlines must notify the authorities of their flight plans from their home base, be it the United States, Europe or other international points, and they must return straight to their original embarkation point," Giri told reporters.

He said prior permits or notification was necessary to settle technical matters because many of the country's airports were not suitable for big carriers.

Twenty-three airports in the country are capable of handling international flights but only about 14 of them currently serve foreign carriers, he said.

"If other airports are to receive foreign carriers, they must improve their air navigational facilities and prepare customs, immigration, and quarantine services," he said.

President B.J. Habibie said last week the government would allow foreign airlines to carry foreign tourists directly to all domestic destinations in an effort to boost the country's battered tourist industry.

The government's current limited open-sky policy only allows certain aircraft to enter areas outside the capital Jakarta.

Several foreign carriers have complained about not being allowed to fly directly to popular destinations such as Bali.

However, Giri indicated that the government had no immediate plan to adopt a full open-sky policy, saying there were many aspects to study before implementing such a move.

"We will look into the positive and negative aspects of such a policy on our airline industry, and once we are ready, we will go toward that direction," he said.

He said the government would remain cautious about opening its domestic routes to international competitors, noting that even developed countries still protected their domestic airlines.

The ministry's latest data show there are 72 international flight routes to Jakarta and other major cities across the country plied by foreign carriers with a frequency of 409 flights a week.

Cities outside Jakarta open to international carriers are Denpasar (Bali), Surabaya (East Java), Medan (North Sumatra), Ujung Pandang (South Sulawesi), Tarakan (East Kalimantan), Pekanbaru (Riau), Padang (West Sumatra), Banda Aceh (Aceh) Palembang (South Sumatra), Balikpapan (East Kalimantan), Manado (North Sulawesi), Mataram (West Nusa Tenggara) and Surakarta (Central Java). (das)