"Air transportation is the backbone of victim evacuation, humanitarian aid distribution, personnel mobilization, and accelerating recovery in disaster-affected areas," said an official of the ministry, Achmad Setiyo Prabowo, in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to Setiyo, Indonesia, located in the Ring of Fire, is highly vulnerable to disasters, ranging from earthquakes and tsunamis to hydrometeorological disasters due to climate change. Therefore, air transportation plays a vital role as a lifeline when land and sea access is disrupted.
As a concrete step, the ministry, through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and airport operators, continue to strengthen the concept of resilient infrastructure by transforming airports not only into transportation hubs but also into centers for disaster response and humanitarian logistics.
"Several airports in Sumatra have been prepared to remain operational in emergencies," he explained.
Meanwhile, Purnama Pangalinan, Head of the Regional Transportation Agency, endorsed the findings and recommendations to strengthen interagency coordination, human resource capacity, and integrated protocols among BNPB/BPBD, TNI-Polri, Basarnas, BMKG, and AirNav to ensure swift, safe, and coordinated air transport readiness during disaster emergencies.
Second, the technical capacity of airport authority personnel will be enhanced in airworthiness and aircraft operations, including oversight of foreign civil aviation during emergencies and disasters.
Furthermore, governance and standard operating procedures for air operations will be integrated across agencies, supported by regular preparedness drills to ensure a consistent, coordinated, and effective disaster response.
Fourth, partnerships with aviation education and training institutions, including PPI Curug and Poltekbang Palembang, will facilitate integrated disaster management training and simulations, as well as the development, standardization, and regular evaluation of the GARD document to ensure the safety and continuity of emergency flight operations.
Strengthening oversight and coordination of air transportation operations will focus on preparedness, response, and recovery of flights, along with integrated passenger services, while optimizing airport readiness in disaster-prone areas through enhanced infrastructure, human resources, and operational flight services.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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