JAKARTA – Last week the European Union introduced its ban on Indonesian airlines flying into Europe. This week, Australia beefed up a travel advisory, warning Australian citizens against visiting to Indonesia, including Bali, because of an imminent threat of a terrorist attack.
While most passengers leaving Australia for Bali this week have insisted they will continue with their travel plans regardless of the government warning, one notable absentee from the Garuda check-in desk at Perth airport on Monday was the Premier of Western Australia, Alan Carpenter.
He cancelled a family holiday in Bali after heeding the government travel advice.
But there was some good news for Indonesia this week. Japan has announced that after a safety audit of Garuda, it has found Indonesia’s national carrier fit to fly to Tokyo and Osaka.
After a day-long audit, Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB) inspection team concluded that Garuda was committed to complying with Japan’s airline security and safety regulations.
The CAB said there was no reason for the Japanese government to ban its citizens from flying with Garuda.
Garuda has daily flights to Tokyo via Denpasar and Jakarta and flies four times a week from Jakarta to Osaka.
Garuda spokesperson Pudjobroto said the airline was planning to reopen its Nagoya route, which was closed in 2004 following the impact on Japanese travellers of the second Bali bombing.
“We are satisfied with what the CAB has done. This inspection has given back Garuda its confidence in operating in Japan,” said a Garuda spokesperson.
