Jakarta, Indonesia: The US aviation regulator has upgraded Indonesia’s safety rating, clearing the way for its airlines to fly to North America after nearly a decade of being barred.
The Federal Aviation Administration said its assessment in March found that safety oversight by Indonesia’s civil aviation authority complied with international standards.
It said in a statement on August 15 that the decision means Indonesian airlines that get necessary approvals can fly to the US and code share with US airlines.
Indonesia, an archipelago of 250 million people that is one of the world’s fastest growing air travel markets, has had a bumpy safety record with numerous crashes of civilian and military aircraft and many near misses.
The FAA downgraded Indonesia in April 2007. Indonesian airlines were also barred from flying to Europe from 2007 to 2009.
The US decision is a potential boost for national carrier Garuda, which is the Indonesian airline most likely to start regular flights to US destinations.
