Batam, Riau Islands, (Antara) - Indonesia's flights, particularly those passing in the air corridor over the Malacca Strait are expected to be free from Singapore's Air Traffic Control in 2024, an official said.
"We have planned that we will take over the flight information region. Now, the air traffic control there is still under the Singapore supervision," Suwarso, the chief of Batam's Hang Nadim International Airport said here on Sunday.
Until now, all flights through Hang Nadim airport must get take-off approvals from Singapore's Air Traffic Control authorities.
The Transportation Ministry has set a target to be free from dependence on the Singapore ATC in 2014 based an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Based on the agreement with the ICAO, a transitional period of 10 years is needed before Indonesia can take over the air control over its own air corridor in the region.
Indonesia has submitted the request in 2014 so that it can take over the air control of its flights in 2024.
In 2015, the ministry of transportation set a budget of Rp6 billion for the installation of radar and other supportive safety devices. The project is done through Airnaf, a state-owned company which operates the ATC of Hang Nadim airport.(*)
