Following several aircraft accidents in Indonesia, the operator of Soekarno Hatta International Airport has boosted the inspection of cargo and hand-carried materials especially liquids such as aerosol or gels. Kasmin Kamil, the manager of SHIA, said the airport restricted hand-carried liquids since March 31.

The policy is in line with the instructions of Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa on the importance of safety and security of passenger and cargo flights.

“Airport operators and airlines should cooperate in this matter. We don’t want dangerous goods loaded illegally into the aircraft, just like what happened in the past,” Rajdasa said.

The minister instructed not to repeat last year’s cargo data manipulation as disclosed by PT Garuda Global Service (GGS), a subcontracting company of ground handler PT Gapura Angkasa.

GGS reported that its data indicated higher amounts of cargo compared to the real tonnage carried by aircraft. It reported that for the period from January 2005 to June 2006 at least 600,000 tonnes of cargoes were manipulated at SHIA.

GGS also discovered dangerous goods such as weapons, chemicals, and explosives inside the aircraft. The government keeps reminding airlines, airport administrators, airport operators, warehouse operators, groundhandling companies, customs, cargo intermediaries (airfreight forwarders) and airport police to be more committed to safety and security regulations. – Siktus Harson