Page 16 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE INDONESIA AIR SAFETY

With Prayers on the Lips

Indonesia has a horrific record for airplane accidents and has weaker safety protocols
By Subodh Agarwal
LOW COST CARRIERS ACROSS ASIA HAVE “The crash of AirAsia Flight 8501, “Low-cost carriers in Indonesia have
made air travel affordable for millions, though tragic, was not an enormous become notorious for overworking their
but the loss of Indonesia AirAsia Flight surprise to anyone who follows aviation pilots, which may be one reason why
QZ8501 has once again underscored the in Indonesia, or who has flown repeatedly several of Lion Air’s pilots have been
challenge for authorities, especially in in Indonesia. The country has a horrific caught with methamphetamines the past
Indonesia, to ensure that infrastructure record for airplane accidents and has three years. (Methamphetamines help you
and safety norms are sufficient to meet a weaker safety protocols regarding aviation stay awake.),” says Kurlantzick.
surge in demand for air travel. than other middle-income countries,” The government should take many
In the third air disaster to strike the avers Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow other steps to improve the quality of pilots
region in 2014, an Airbus A320 of AirAsia for Southeast Asia at the Council on operating in Indonesia, he says. “Jakarta
vanished from radar on Dec. 28 in storm Foreign Relations (CFR). needs to implement and enforce stricter
clouds en route to Singapore from the Though Indonesia’s meteorological regulations on the amount of hours pilots
Indonesian city of Surabaya. The debris agency BMKG initially suggested that the can work per week, and to increase
of the aircraft was discovered later in the weather at the time the plane went down enforcement of random drug and alcohol
waters off the island of Borneo. sparked the disaster, with icing likely testing for pilots. In addition, Jakarta needs
Indonesia has long ranked at or near causing engine damage, analysts believe to make pilot licensing more rigorous and
the top of every list of developing countries that air accidents are almost always more standardized,” he adds.
with a poor record of aviation safety. It is caused by more than one factor. According to estimates, there are
one of nine countries currently listed as Indonesia has a reputation for weak currently 1,600 aircraft operating in
failing a safety assessment by the united airline safety practices, and a shortage Southeast Asia. Brendan Sobie, analyst
States Federal Aviation Administration. of experienced pilots amid rapidly rising at the CAPA Centre for Aviation, a
The other countries are Bangladesh, air travel as the economy booms. The consultancy in Sydney, says, “It is the only
Barbados, Curaçao, Ghana, India, country has become infamous for poor region in the world with as many aircraft
Nicaragua, Saint Martin and uruguay. management of planes. on order as in service.”

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