Indonesia faces new airline ban

Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Jakarta

All Indonesian airlines are banned from flying to the European Union

Saudi Arabia has said it is considering banning Indonesian airlines from flying to the country for safety reasons.

The news comes less than a fortnight after the European Union announced a similar ban on all Indonesian airlines.

The ban came after two major air disasters in the Asian archipelago since the beginning of the year.

The transport ministry said it had received a letter from Saudi Arabia's aviation authority warning of the possible ban on all Indonesian flights.

'Close ties'

According to a ministry spokesman, the ban is the result of a recent EU decision to blacklist Indonesian airlines on safety grounds.

Saudi Arabia, he said, normally follows EU aviation policy, but because of the country's close ties with Indonesia, Riyadh had suggested direct talks to explore the options.

About half a million Indonesians travel to Saudi Arabia every year, for work or pilgrimage.

The country's national carrier, Garuda - the only Indonesian airline to fly to the country - says it is currently in peak season and is expanding its flights to the Saudi state.

No Indonesian airlines currently fly to Europe but the EU ban has already led some European tourists to cancel planned trips to Indonesia, and there are concerns that a widening of the ban could damage the country's image.