TSA considers Ngurah Rai Airport safe for US airliner

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has declared Bali`s Ngurah Rai International Airport safe for US airlines, a state airport management company official said.

"Only Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali is recognized by TSA. Therefore, we hope more US airlines will fly to Bali," Bambang Darwoto, president director of state airport management company PT Angkasa Pura I, said here Friday.

He said TSA had twice inspected conditions at Ngurah Rai Airport which serves more than seven million domestic and international passengers every year.

TSA conducted the first inspection at Ngurah Rai in 2005 and found that the airport did not meet international aviation security standards. Soon after the TSA inspection, the US government issued a travel warning on Indonesia.

But after the Indonesian government had overcome several shortcomings at Ngurah Rai Airport, TSA conducted another inspection recently and declared the airport safe for US airlines.

Consequently, the US State Department on May 23, 2008 announced the lifting of its travel warning on Indonesia after determining that the security climate in the country no longer warranted the warning.

The US lifted the warning due to objective improvements made by Indonesia in its security situation.

"Therefore, the number of Americans visiting Bali is now increasing following the reopening of US Continental Airlines flights from Guam to Denpasar three times a week," Bambang said.

source: Antara | 21 June 2008
Asked if TSA had a plan to audit Jakarta`s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Bambang said there was no such plan. However, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was routinely audited by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and this body had recently stated the airport was meeting international aviation security standards.

Bambang said PT Angkasa Pura-I had a great concern over the improvement of security and safety at all airports in Indonesia, and continued to abide by international aviation procedures and codes of ethics.