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Transportation Ministry vows to improve safety control over airlines
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An Airbus A320 of low-cost carrier Citilink takes off during the launch of a new route. The subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has been in the media spotlight recently following reports of an allegedly-drunk on duty-pilot. (Antara/Nyoman Budhiana)
F
ollowing an incident involving an allegedly drunk on-duty pilot, the Transportation Ministry says it will enhance its supervision over airlines to ensure passenger safety.
A pilot of low-cost carrier Citilink was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol after he made a garbled announcement just before the plane was due to take off from Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten, on Wednesday.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Saturday that Citilink had violated aviation safety procedures for its cabin crews, including health checks and pre-departure briefings.
“We will thoroughly evaluate existing rules as well as enforce the law more strongly,” Budi said as quoted by Antara news agency during his visit to Blimbingsari Airport in Banyuwangi, also in East Java.
After the incident, the pilot in question, Capt. Tekad Purna, underwent initial tests for drugs and alcohol, which proved negative. Nevertheless, Citilink decided to dismiss him.
Two executives of the carrier, namely president director Albert Burhan and operational director Hadinoto Soedigno, announced their resignations on Friday although the resignations still await approval from its board of commissioners as well as the board of directors of its parent company, national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.
(Read also: Citilink top executives resign after 'drunk pilot' incident)
In response to the proposed resignations, the minister expressed his appreciation, saying that the incident should serve as a lesson for the domestic aviation industry.
“This incident must become an opportunity to reform Indonesia’s aviation industry,” Budi said.
Scandals involving drug and alcohol abuse among cabin crew have lingered in the country in recent years. Among the latest incidents was a raid on a drug party in Tangerang, Banten, last year, in which a pilot of the country’s biggest low-cost airline Lion Air was taking part. (lnd)
