Indonesia Strengthens Aviation Regulations in Facing ICAO Audits

Indonesia's Ministry of Transportation is intensifying its efforts to bolster aviation regulations in anticipation of an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit. The audit is slated to occur in late 2026 or early 2027, according to Agustinus Budi Hartono, Director of Air Transportation at the Ministry's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

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So, if not at the end of this year, (or) early next year (2027), we will face an ICAO audit.

The ministry is currently finalizing national aviation regulations to ensure continuous compliance with international aviation safety and security standards. Hartono emphasized that this is a crucial step for Indonesian aviation operations to meet global benchmarks, which are constantly advancing. He highlighted the cross-regional and cross-national nature of air travel, underscoring the necessity of regulatory harmonization to facilitate international air connectivity.

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Because, like it or not, based on the protocol questions we must answer, it's actually quite difficult for us to fulfill or answer all of them.

All stakeholders, including the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA) and airline operators, are urged to strengthen their preparedness. Hartono acknowledged the challenges in meeting the audit's protocol questions, particularly those related to national regulatory aspects and the current Aviation Law. He believes that updating regulations, including the provisions in Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation, will be instrumental in aligning with ICAO standards.

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Because indeed, most of the protocol questions that we likely cannot fulfill are from regulations, from rules, especially the Aviation Law.

Beyond mere compliance, the ministry views strong regulations as vital for cultivating a national aviation safety culture. These regulations are seen as key instruments for enhancing service quality and preserving public trust in a safe and reliable aviation industry. Indonesia's aviation safety level has previously been recognized by ICAO, with audits showing it to be above the global average.

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Of course, we all hope that the ICAO audit will run smoothly and that we can achieve quite good results, similar to those we achieved in previous years.