Indonesia Will Not Revoke Qatar Airways License In Today's Memory, June 7, 2017

The plane belongs to Qatar Airways. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA Memori hari ini, tujuh tahun yang lalu, 7 juni 2017, Menteri Perhubungan, Budi Karya Sumadi memastikan tak akan mencabut lisensi Qatar Airways. Budi mengungkap Qatar Airways tetap dapat menggangkut penumpang dari dan ke Indonesia.

Previously, Qatar Airways was often used for Umrah participants from Indonesia returning from Saudi Arabia. Problems arise. Qatar has diplomatic disputes with seven countries, including Saudi Arabia. This condition does not allow Qatar Airways to transport passengers.

A country's political choices can affect its relationship with the international community. That's what Qatar has experienced in recent days. Its political choice to support the hardline Islamic organization Ikhwanul Muslimin was challenged.

Aboutness also came from seven countries. Among others, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, and the Maldives. The countries immediately cut diplomatic relations with Qatar.

As a result, it's everywhere. Take for example in the world of aviation. Qatar Airways airlines are not licensed to use the country's airspace to cut diplomatic relations. This condition causes chaos to appear everywhere.

Indonesia was also affected. Qatar Airways, who used to take Umrah participants from and to Saudi Arabia, was unable to transport passengers from Indonesia. In fact, previously Qatar was a mainstay. Information on abandoned passengers also appears everywhere. Passengers are wary.

Minister of Transportation Budi also took a stand. Flights of Umrah participants began to be diverted by flying with Garuda Indonesia and Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Budi also admitted that he was concerned about the political problems taken by Qatar. He also plans to temporarily revoke the Qatar flagship airline until the situation returns to normal.

"We are concerned about the decision, but whatever we do, we must immediately provide substitution for the movement of the community. And we can already resolve it, meaning that some from Jakarta to Umrah, especially, have been accommodated by Garuda and Saudi..

"Regarding tourists, I agree with the Menpar, basically when we talk about flights that want to go to Indonesia, there are a lot. So instead of saying Qatar is unnecessary, substitution for air accessibility is a lot. So it's temporary, later if it turns out that there is recovery, especially related to Umrah, maybe we also think about giving it back (to Qatar)," Budi said as quoted by the ANTARA page, June 6, 2017.

After a day, or on June 7, 2017, Minister of Transportation Budi then immediately corrected his words. He said his statement regarding the revocation of the temporary license was wrong. The Indonesian government is considered not to revoke the license.

The option taken by the Indonesian government is to start transferring Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia who initially used Qatar Airways to other airlines. This also applies to Indonesians who have purchased Qatar Airways tickets to seven countries that have cut diplomatic relations with Qatar.

"There is no license revocation, what is true is the transfer of Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia who were originally supposed to use Qatar Airways to other airlines. Qatar Airways can still serve flights to and from Indonesia which are continued to third countries other than countries that have diplomatic problems with Qatar".

"So it's temporary. Later if it turns out that there is recovery, especially related to Umrah, maybe we are also thinking about giving it back (to Qatar)," Budi said as quoted by the BBC website, June 7, 2017.