Regulations tightened for foreign pilots flying in Indonesia

The regulation, issued in the form of an official letter from the Transportation Ministry’s Directorate-General for Air Transportation, became effective on September 23. It made exceptions for foreign pilots with special skills, such as instructors, helicopter pilots and pilots operating in remote areas.
“We have a lot of unemployed local pilots. There is a large aspect of nationalism in this as it is about utilising our own human resources,” Mohammad Alwi, the ministry’s airworthiness and operations director, said recently, although foreigners only account for 10 per cent of the total number of pilots working in Indonesia.
More than 500 local pilots produced by the country’s 21 flying schools, two of which are operated by the government, can take positions currently filled by foreign pilots, he argued. The schools graduate 100 to 150 fresh pilots every year.
As of September, 455 foreign pilots had active validation to operate in the country, fewer than the 513 last year, ministry data show. Meanwhile, 128 foreign pilots were issued new validations so far this year, compared with 190 pilots last year. – The Jakarta Post

Malindo Air to begin
daily Chiang Mai flights 
Malaysian carrier Malindo Air will now fly from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai daily.
This will be the airline’s second Thai destination after Bangkok, with flights from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket also in the works for a November 10 launch date.
The airline said it was offering travellers fares of 199 ringgit (Bt1,660) for economy class and 299 ringgit for business class one-way, all-inclusive, for its maiden flight to the northern Thai city.
Malindo Air Flight OD530 will depart every day from Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 10.35am and arrive at Chiang Mai International Airport at 12.20pm local time.
Chiang Mai is one hour behind Kuala Lumpur.
The return flight will depart Chiang Mai at 1.40pm and arrive in KLIA at 5.25pm. – The Star