DGCA Certification: Indonesia’s Aviation Authority

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — known in Indonesian as Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Udara — is the regulatory authority overseeing all civil aviation operations in Indonesia, operating under the Ministry of Transportation. As a ground handling operator at DPS Airport, Bali Ground Handling holds a Certificate of Approval from DGCA authorizing our ground handling operations at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

This certification is not a one-time approval — it requires ongoing compliance with DGCA’s Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR), regular operational audits, personnel certification maintenance, and demonstrated adherence to safety management system (SMS) principles. DGCA’s oversight framework aligns with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), ensuring that Indonesian ground handling operations meet international safety benchmarks.

Our DGCA certification covers the full spectrum of ground handling services we provide at DPS: ramp handling (S3), passenger handling (S2), cargo and mail handling (S5), flight operations and load control (S4), and associated support services. Each service category carries specific regulatory requirements for personnel qualifications, equipment standards, and operational procedures that we maintain and document for audit purposes.

Established in 2015 as part of the Juara Holding Group, Bali Ground Handling has maintained continuous DGCA certification since our initial approval — a track record that demonstrates consistent regulatory compliance over a decade of operations at one of Indonesia’s busiest international airports.

IATA Standards & SGHA Compliance

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets the global framework for ground handling through the Standard Ground Handling Agreement (SGHA) and its associated Annexes. The SGHA defines eight service sections (S1-S8) that cover the complete ground handling scope, from representation and passenger services through ramp, cargo, flight operations, and aircraft maintenance support.

Bali Ground Handling’s operations are structured around the SGHA framework, ensuring that airlines contracting our services at DPS receive service delivery that aligns with the industry standard they use globally. This alignment is particularly important for international carriers who require consistent service quality across their network — when they contract ground handling at DPS, they receive the same structural framework they operate under at every other station worldwide.

Our SGHA compliance encompasses S1 (Representation, Supervision, and Administration), S2 (Passenger Handling including check-in, boarding, and special services), S3 (Ramp Handling including marshalling, parking, loading, and GSE), S4 (Load Control, Communications, and Flight Operations), S5 (Cargo and Mail Handling), S6 (Support Services including crew transport and catering coordination), S7 (Security), and S8 (Aircraft Maintenance Support). Airlines can contract any combination of these sections based on their operational requirements at DPS.

ICAO Compliance Framework

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) establishes the global standards that national regulators like Indonesia’s DGCA implement in their domestic regulations. Our operations at DPS comply with multiple ICAO Annexes that are relevant to ground handling activities.

ICAO Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft) establishes operational standards that affect ground handling through turnaround procedures, flight preparation, and dispatch requirements. Annex 14 (Aerodromes) covers apron safety, vehicle operations on the movement area, and FOD (Foreign Object Debris) prevention — all areas where our ramp handling team operates daily. Annex 17 (Security) establishes the framework for aviation security measures that our security services implement. Annex 18 (Dangerous Goods) governs the handling of hazardous materials in air transport, implemented through IATA’s DGR which our cargo and ramp teams follow.

Indonesia’s National Aviation Safety Program (NASP)

Indonesia’s National Aviation Safety Program (NASP) 2024-2026, aligned with ICAO’s Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP), establishes the country’s strategic safety framework for the aviation sector. As a ground handling operator, our Safety Management System (SMS) aligns with the NASP objectives including proactive hazard identification and risk management, safety performance monitoring through key safety indicators, safety reporting culture that encourages voluntary incident reporting, and continuous improvement through safety audits and corrective action tracking.

The NASP framework is administered by DGCA and applies to all aviation service providers at Indonesian airports. Our compliance with NASP requirements is verified through periodic DGCA audits and our internal safety audit program.

Personnel Certifications

Ground handling is a people-intensive operation, and the competence of our personnel directly determines service quality and safety outcomes. Our team maintains the following certifications and qualifications:

AVSEC Certification: All security personnel hold current Aviation Security certification from DGCA, covering threat recognition, access control, screening procedures, and security incident response per ICAO Annex 17 requirements.

DGR Certification: Cargo handling and ramp personnel involved in dangerous goods operations maintain IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations certification, renewed biennially, covering identification, classification, documentation, and handling of hazardous materials.

Load Control Certification: Personnel performing weight and balance calculations hold load control certification demonstrating competency in aircraft loading, center-of-gravity management, and load sheet preparation.

Ramp Safety Certification: All ramp personnel complete ramp safety training covering vehicle operations, FOD prevention, aircraft damage avoidance, and emergency procedures on the airport apron.

Specialized Equipment Certifications: Operators of specific GSE (Ground Support Equipment) including pushback tractors, aircraft loaders, and fuel hydrant dispensers hold equipment-specific operating certifications per KP 635 Tahun 2015 standards.

GSE Compliance: KP 635 Standards

Ground Support Equipment at DPS Airport must comply with DGCA’s KP 635 Tahun 2015 — the regulation governing GSE standards for Indonesian airports. This covers equipment maintenance schedules and documentation, operator training and certification requirements, safety inspections and airworthiness-equivalent standards for motorized GSE, emissions and noise standards for apron vehicles, and equipment marking and visibility requirements for safe apron operations.

Our ground support equipment fleet undergoes regular inspection and maintenance per KP 635 requirements, with complete maintenance records maintained for DGCA and airline audit purposes.

ISAGO Certification Pathway

IATA’s ISAGO (IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations) is the industry’s benchmark safety audit program for ground handling providers. ISAGO registration demonstrates that a ground handling company’s operational procedures and safety management system have been audited against a globally standardized set of ground handling standards and validated by IATA-accredited auditors.

Bali Ground Handling is actively pursuing ISAGO registration as part of our certification roadmap. ISAGO registration is increasingly expected by major international airlines as a prerequisite for ground handling contracts, and achieving this certification will further strengthen our competitive position at DPS Airport alongside established handlers.