Indonesian airlines are finally cleared to fly to US after coveted safety upgrade is granted

The US aviation regulator has upgraded Indonesia’s safety rating, clearing the way for its airlines to fly to North America after nearly a decade of being barred.

The Federal Aviation Administration said its assessment completed in March found that safety oversight by Indonesia’s civil aviation authority complied with international standards.

It said in a statement on Monday that the decision means Indonesian airlines that get necessary approvals can fly to the US and code share with US airlines.

Indonesia, one of the world’s fastest growing air travel markets, has had a bumpy safety record with numerous crashes of civilian and military aircraft and many near misses.

The US decision is a potential boost for national carrier Garuda, which is the Indonesian airline most likely to start regular flights to US destinations.

The Southeast Asian nation’s transport ministry said it received a letter from the US embassy saying Indonesia’s airlines had been elevated to “Category 1” status, granting US flight and code-share rights. The FAA had cut the rating to Category 2 in April 2007, citing serious concerns about the local civil-aviation regulator’s safety oversight and operational control systems.