D-8 Organization Reacts on Saudi’s Plan to Ban Indonesian Airlines

Istanbul, Turkey | July 18, 2007 by D-8 Secretariat

The Secretary General of Developing-8 Organization, Dr Dipo Alam, in Istanbul was shocked by news saying Saudi Arabia plans to ban Indonesian airlines fly to Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia following the EU's ban on Indonesian flight to Euro Zone .

The Secretary General's concerns is how hundred of thousands of Indonesians who plan to fly Indonesian airlines to Umrah during Ramadan, and Hajj, as well as those Indonesian migrant workers who intend to fly back and forth from and to Saudi Arabia could be disadvantaged by this ban. The Secretary General doubts very much that Civil Aviation Authorities of Saudi Arabia will adopt serious measures against Indonesia in this regard and expressed his hopes that the problem would be addressed and resolved quickly through  bilateral channels.

Flight security is everybody's concerns, including developing countries. This is why D-8 Organization has established a new Working Group on Civil Aviation (WGCA) and on June 27-29, 2007, in Antalya, Turkey, all Director Generals of Civil Aviation of D-8 countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Turkey met and exchanged views on cooperation in flight and airport security, civil aviation trainings, as well as air transportation businesses and national carriers.

Dipo explains, in light of recent developements there seems to be a need for cooperation on civil aviation among Indonesia and D-8 member states for the smooth transfer of Indonesian passengers to Jeddah and Mecca . D-8 member states, such as Turkey with Turkish Airlines and Malaysia with their MAS are expected to cooperate and play their role to resolve this issue.

"Airlines routes within D-8 member states are now developing. These eight countries with almost 900 million people; recent economic growth in average more than five percent; and their intra-trade increased 130 percents for last five years, cooperation in civil aviation is a must," says Dipo. For example, as published in the official website of D-8, http://www.developing8.org, Turkish Airlines has asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan to allow her to operate seven flights a week from Karachi to Istanbul and back. Turkish Airlines recently announced that Karachi is not the only destination that they wish to head for. The airline is soon to start flights from another destination in Pakistan such as Islamabad , or Lahore. In addition this week Minister of Transportation of Turkey in Teheran plans to double Istanbul-Teheran flights to 14 times a week, and will also start open flights to Bangladesh . Around 20 million people fly with Turkish Airline and it is now becoming a competitor for the world's top-ranking airlines.

Therefore for the Saudi's plan to ban Indonesian Airlines, as well as challanges for developing countries for improving their civil aviation capacity, "D-8 Organization vows to strive for an elegance way to solve the problem through her cooperation schemes among the member states," added the Secretary General.

To read related news, please click:
D-8 Cooperation in Civil Aviation is progressing In Turkey-Pakistan
1st Meeting of D-8 Director General Civil Aviation was successful in Antalya, Turkey, June 27-30, 2007

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