Indonesia and Turkey have agreed to expand cooperation in civil aviation, paving the way for more direct flights and deeper technical collaboration between the two countries, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Following a two-day consultation in Istanbul on Oct. 22–23, both sides signed a record of discussions and an implementing arrangement to serve as the foundation for strengthening bilateral cooperation in civil aviation.
The consultation followed up on an agreement reached between President Prabowo Subianto and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the inaugural High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSC) meeting on Feb. 12 in Bogor, West Java, which included Turkey’s request to increase flight frequencies on direct routes. The two countries also agreed to expand their respective air service networks.
Indonesia will add eight new destinations to complement Jakarta and Denpasar: Medan in North Sumatra, Majalengka in West Java, Yogyakarta, Manado in North Sulawesi, Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, Kediri in East Java, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, and Sorong in Southwest Papua. Meanwhile, Turkey will add Izmir and Bodrum to its existing destinations — Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya. In addition, the agreement significantly increases aviation traffic rights from 14 to 32 flights per week.
The ministry’s Director of Air Transportation, Agustinus Budi Hartono, said the agreement reflected constructive dialogue and demonstrated both countries’ strong commitment to enhancing air connectivity and broadening market access.
“This capacity increase is a strategic step toward wider connectivity between Indonesia and Turkey. The agreement also creates opportunities for airlines to explore new routes beyond Jakarta and Denpasar,” he said on Sunday.
“This agreement marks an important milestone in expanding aviation cooperation while opening greater economic opportunities for the national aviation industry. The DGCA will continue to ensure the agreement’s implementation in accordance with regulations, prioritizing safety, security, and passenger comfort,” Agustinus added.
He noted that the expansion is expected to attract more airlines to develop services to new destinations and stimulate growth in tourism, trade, and investment. Both sides also agreed to update their codeshare arrangements to allow third-country airlines to cooperate with Indonesian and Turkish carriers on connecting flights — a move expected to improve operational efficiency, expand network connectivity, and offer passengers more travel options.
Another provision in the agreement concerns the mutual use of unutilized entitlements, such as flight frequencies or aircraft seats, which can be used by the other party through commercial arrangements between airlines. These arrangements must, however, be reported to each country’s aviation authority. The mechanism provides greater flexibility for carriers to optimize market potential without waiting for future revisions to the air services agreement.
October 27, 2025, The Jakarta Post(https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2025/10/27/indonesia-turkey-ink-deal-to-expand-civil-aviation-cooperation.html)