Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya: FIR Of Riau Islands And Natuna Airspaces Officially Regulated By Indonesia

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said air space arrangements with all flight information or Flight Information Region (FIR) in the Riau Islands (Kepri) and Natuna areas were officially fully regulated by Indonesia, after previously being controlled by Singapore.

"This provision has been effective starting March 21, 2024 at 20.00 UTC or March 22, 2024 at 03.00 WIB. This is good news for the world of Indonesian aviation," Budi said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, March 25.

Budi conveyed that this was true after completing the air space re-regulation agreement or re-alignment FIR with the Singapore government, so that currently Indonesia will manage its own airspace over the two islands.

He said this agreement had increased the Jakarta FIR area by 249,575 square kilometers so that the Jakarta FIR area was 2,842,725 square kilometers or an increase of 9.5 percent from the original area.

"Now the aircraft flying in the FIR rearranging area will receive flight navigation services from Indonesia," said Budi.

Previously, Buri continued, even for domestic flights such as from Jakarta to Natuna, Singapore's flight navigation contact had to be when entering the Riau Islands.

Meanwhile, on international flights such as from Hong Kong to Jakarta, when passing over the Natuna Islands, contact Singapore flight navigation must first be served by AirNav Indonesia.

"After the re-arrangement of the FIR, the two planes will be immediately served by AirNav Indonesia, no need to go to Singapore," said Budi.

Budi explained that the journey of FIR negotiations with Singapore had begun since 1995, until an agreement was finally made in 2022. So that according to the Minister of Transportation, this achievement should be grateful.

"I hope that with the enactment of this FIR Agreement, the cooperation between the two countries in improving the safety and efficiency of navigation services in the airspace can continue," said Budi.

Furthermore, the Minister of Transportation stated that the government would do its best to ensure that Indonesia's airspace management was safe, effective, in accordance with national interests and to fulfill international standard civil aviation services.

He is optimistic that the transfer of the FIR will have a positive impact on Indonesia, especially in terms of state revenue.

"Hopefully the implementation of the FIR agreement will also improve flight safety and security and become the right momentum for modernizing aviation navigation equipment and developing Indonesian human resources," said Budi.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation Maria Kristi Endah Murni said that the transfer of operational flight navigation services was carried out after Indonesia and Singapore signed an airspace regulation agreement in the two areas in Bintan on January 25, 2022.

Then ratified by Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 109 of 2022 concerning Adjustment of the Limit between Flight Information Region Jakarta and Flight Information Region Singapore.

The adjustment of the FIR Jakarta and FIR Singapore limits has certainly gone through discussions at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with approval from ICAO issued on December 15, 2023.

Kristi added that regarding the charge of flight services, the government will regulate it professionally and competitively. Indonesia will begin to enjoy an increase in state revenue sourced from the cost of flight navigation services imposed on the additional FIR Jakarta area.

Ini merupakan bagian dari kesepakatan Perjanjian FIR antara Indonesia dan Singapura. Harapannya industri penerbangan nasional dapat tumbuh dan berkembang seiring berjalannya waktu, kata Kristi.

He said the collection of Route Air Navigation Services (RANS) Charges in the A and B Sector airspace areas, starting from an altitude of 0 to 37,000 feet, was carried out from March 21, 2024, according to an agreement between Indonesia and Singapore.

Meanwhile, the airspace area outside the sector, which was affected by the adjustment of the Jakarta-Singapore FIR, was collected by Perum LPPNPI in accordance with applicable regulations.