REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's airline industry is eyeing to become more competitive in the global aviation market after the European Commission removed all Indonesian air carriers from the EU Air Safety list. The European Union stated on Thursday that all airlines certified in Indonesia have been removed from the list, following further improvements to aviation safety in Indonesia.

"This is a beginning to start to become competitive," Indonesian Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said during a press conference here on Friday evening.

All Indonesian carriers were put on the EU Air Safety List in 2007 due to unaddressed safety concerns. Over the past years, a number of airlines, including Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia, Ekspress Transportasi Antarbenua, Indonesia Air Asia, Citilink, Lion Air, and Batik, were removed, but the bulk of Indonesian carriers remained on the list until Thursday.

Following Thursday's update, the remaining 55 Indonesian airlines have been certified to meet European air safety regulations. There were 62 air carriers in total, Budi said.

"The repeal of the ban means that we, the regulator and operators, are considered to have fulfilled all international regulations," Minister Budi said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said that the clearing showed that years of hard work, diplomacy and close cooperation have paid off. It also reflected international trust in Indonesian air carriers, and is expected to promote the country's tourism industry and people to people contacts, Retno said.

"This is a result of years of hard work. Without good collaboration it would have been difficult for us to achieve this," Retno said.

The press conference, held during an open house for the Idul Fitri celebration at Minister Budi's house, was also attended by Ambassador of the European Union to Indonesia and to Brunei Darussalam Vincent Guerend and Director General of Air Transport Agus Santoso.

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