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Indonesia urged to repair damage to aviation safety reputation

Wednesday, 4 August 20103 min read

IATA has told Indonesia’s aviation sector it is doing well but there is room for improvement.

The message was delivered in Jakarta by IATA boss, Giovanni Bisignani, who said, “While the world’s airlines were generating losses, Garuda’s passenger demand grew by three percent and they improved net profits by over 50 percent in 2009.

“Everyday brings new challenges and Garuda is well-placed to face them,” he added.

IATA laid out three priorities for Indonesian aviation: safety; cost-efficient and effective infrastructure and environmental sustainability.

“Safety issues require constant attention and commitment. There have been three non-fatal accidents involving Indonesian airlines this year.

“And there were five accidents involving Indonesian operators in 2009, and 24 over the past 5 years,” Bisignani said.

“The situation is improving, but the damage done to Indonesia’s safety reputation will not be solved with short-term measures.

“A long-term strategic commitment is needed from both industry and government,” Bisignani said.