Through the implementation of Presidential Regulation No.12/2016, Indonesia confirmed its participation in the ASEAN Open Sky policy (also known as the ASEAN Single Aviation Market). This policy comprises the multilateral agreement of all ten ASEAN member countries to unite their skies into one single aviation market (hence liberalizing regulations to a large degree). By enhancing connectivity (implying an easier flow of people and cargo) the ASEAN member nations target to boost the region’s economic growth. ASEAN is home to more than 600 million people.

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The Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA) expects domestic and international air passengers in Indonesia to grow by about 8-9 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2016, flat from the estimated growth pace this year (8 percent y/y). Based on the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik/BPS), air passengers in Indonesia stood at 67.5 million in the first ten months of 2015, up 12.8 percent from the number of air passengers in the same period last year.

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On Tuesday (30/06), an Indonesian military airplane (C-130 Hercules) crashed into a densely populated residential area in the city of Medan in North Sumatra. The aircraft, en route from the military airport in Medan to Tanjung Pinang (capital of Indonesia's Riau Islands), crashed shortly after take-off and probably carried 122 people. A government spokesman said that at least 141 people have died. This figure is likely to rise. According to local media, the pilot of the military aircraft requested to return to base due to engine trouble.

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Small Indonesian airlines face difficult times ahead of the implementation of a new law (UU No. 1 2009 on Aviation) which stipulates that per 1 July 2015 all Indonesian airlines have to operate at least ten aircraft. Of this ten airplanes, at least five aircraft have to be owned by the airline, while the remainder can be leased. The Indonesian government emphasized that if domestic airlines fail to comply with the new law per July 2015, then their flight permits will be revoked.

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Ahead of implementation of the ASEAN Single Aviation Market (ASAM) in 2015, it is important for Indonesia to improve infrastructure at (and around) airports, particularly the nation’s smaller airports, in order to be able to compete with other airports in the ASEAN region. ASAM will turn ASEAN into a unified and single aviation market by 2015, meaning that air travel between ASEAN member states is fully liberalized. As such, ASAM will supersede existing unilateral, bilateral and multilateral air services agreements between ASEAN members.

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Recently, the Indonesian government decided to raise the airfare price ceiling by ten percent in an effort to support local airlines. This measure is required as Indonesian airlines face financial difficulties due to the depreciating rupiah exchange rate and higher global fuel (avtur) price. However, airlines have become worried as the government also decided to remove its fuel surcharge policy (that was implemented in February 2014). This fuel surcharge also aimed at supporting local airlines amid rising fuel costs.

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Low cost carrier Indonesia AirAsia, the Indonesian unit of Malaysia's AirAsia, carried 4.08 million air passengers in the first half of 2014, a growth of 12 percent from the same period last year (3.64 million passengers). However, this growth figure failed to achieve the company’s initial target as it had to reduce flights and routes in an effort to cut back on expenses amid high operational costs. Although the firm managed to pass on part of expensive fuel costs to passengers (fuel surcharge), operational costs for specific routes are high.

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The second major disaster involving an airplane of Malaysia Airlines within the time span of a few months can lead to bankruptcy of the debt-ridden airliner. On Friday (18/07), one day after the crash of the Boeing 777, which was presumably shot down by pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine, shares of the company slid 11 percent on the Malaysia Stock Exchange. This year so far, its shares have declined 36 percent. Malaysia Airlines has not been able to post a profit in the last three years amid fierce competition and the high oil price.

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Skytrax, the United Kingdom-based consultancy airline and airport review and ranking agency, named Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific as the world’s best airline in the World Airline Awards this week at the Farnborough International Airshow in England. Cathay Pacific snatched the title from Emirates that had to settle for a fourth place this year. The ranking is based on surveys involving 16 million air passengers, evaluating the products and services of full-service as well as budget airlines. Garuda Indonesia was ranked seventh.

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Ticket sales of domestic low-cost carriers in Indonesia have declined up to 20 percent after the Transportation Ministry implemented new (higher) surcharge fees for airline tickets on 26 February 2014. The new fuel surcharge was needed to offset the negative influence of sharp rupiah depreciation in 2013, which led to rising jet fuel prices, as well as low passenger rates amid the current low season. The Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA) had previously requested for the new surcharge as Indonesia's aviation industry was in jeopardy.

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In 2017 Indonesia's Transportation Ministry allowed the opening of 83 new flight routes (commercial civil flights), consisting of 58 domestic routes and 25 international routes. There are two reasons why the government encourages the opening of new routes: (1) to make the remote areas of Indonesia less isolated, and (2) to strengthen inter & intra regional transportation.

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Good news for Indonesia's aviation industry and Indonesian airlines. After a nearly decade-long ban, the US aviation regulator (Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA) finally allows Indonesian airlines to enter US airspace again. The ban was imposed in 2007 due to safety concerns. The FAA announced on Monday (15/08) that the safety status of Indonesia's aviation industry was upgraded by one notch to category 1. This opens doors for Indonesian airlines to serve flight routes to the USA as well as code shares with US airlines.

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The spotlights are again turned on low-cost carrier Lion Air, Indonesia's largest privately-held airline that controls about 40 percent of the air passenger market in Indonesia. The airline, owned by Rusdi Kirana (one of the richest Indonesians), has again disappointed thousands of passengers due to delayed flights. This time flight delays were caused by Lion Air pilots going on strike. It is worth to zoom in on this case and to take a look at which Indonesian airlines are most reliable in terms of departure punctuality.

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Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, the nation's top class airline, targets to fly 27.5 million people in 2016, up 10 percent year-on-year (y/y) from the airline's total number of air passengers last year. Passenger growth is supported by the arrival of five new wide-body airplanes in 2016. The company, listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange but majority-owned by the Indonesian government (60.6 percent), is particularly eager to boost the number of international passengers.

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In line with the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of the year, the ASEAN Open Skies policy (also known as the ASEAN Single Aviation Market) should become fully effective later this year. The ASEAN Open Skies policy, a key component of the AEC, involves the multilateral agreement of all ten ASEAN countries to unite their skies into a single aviation market (hence liberalizing rules and regulations to a large degree) in a bid to boost the region’s economic growth.

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While Indonesia is still mourning for the lives that were lost in the military plane crash in Medan (North Sumatra) on Tuesday (30/06), the Indonesian Transportation Ministry threatens to suspend operating permits of 13 Indonesian airlines that are being plagued by negative equity, raising concerns about these airlines’ safety practices. The Transportation Ministry reviewed audited financial reports of 60 local carriers. These airlines will have time until 31 July 2015 to adjust their balance sheets.

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The number of air passengers in Indonesia will most likely fail to meet its growth target in 2014. Based on government data, the number of air passengers in Southeast Asia’s largest economy reached 47.5 million in the first eight months of 2014, a 5.82 percentage point growth from the same period last year. However, the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA) initially targeted annual passenger growth in the range of 12-15 percent for 2014. Amid slowing economic growth, people’s purchasing power has declined.

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The mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on Saturday 7 March 2014 reminds us that flying does not go without risks. Although it is popularly said that flying in an airplane is safer than driving in a car - and despite the fact that Malaysia Airlines is a world-class airline - it is worth taking a closer look at the current state of aviation in the Asia Pacific, Indonesia in particular, as air traffic in the Asia Pacific has been booming (and budget airlines mushroomed) in recent years due to the expanding middle class.

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Airport Council International (ACI), the only global trade representative of the world's airports, stated that Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, located just outside the capital city of Jakarta, has climbed one spot and is now ranked the world’s 8th busiest airport in terms of passenger numbers (over the year 2013) and was the 4th busiest airport in the Asia Pacific after Beijing Capital International Airport, Haneda International Airport (Tokyo), and Dubai International Airport.

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On Friday 10 January 2014, the government of Indonesia opened Halim Airport for scheduled commercial flights. Previously, the only airport that served these types of flights around Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta and surrounding towns was the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta), located in Cengkareng (Banten). However, the amount of daily passengers at Soetta has exceeded its capacity. Based on data from Airports Council International, released in 2013, Soetta is the world's tenth busiest airport.

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