The Indonesian government is preparing a new ruling that will limit the age of newly-acquired passenger planes to 10 years to encourage domestic operators to prioritize safety, an official has said.

Domestic air operators will be banned from hiring or buying planes below the limit.

All operators will soon be notified of the new ruling, which will force them to rejuvenate fleet, Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa was quoted Wednesday by Kompas newspaper as saying.

"The ruling will probably put more burdens on air operators, but it is (necessary) to improve services in air transport," he said.

There is a growing concern about flight safety in Indonesia following two major air disasters in the last 17 months.

A Boeing 737-200 operated by budget carrier Mandala Air crashed into a crowded street shortly after taking off in the North Sumatra capital of Medan in September 2005, killing 150 people on the plane and on the ground.

On Jan. 1 2007, Adam Air's Boeing 737-400 disappeared with 102 people onboard, believed to have crashed into the Sulawesi waters. Rescuers have recovered the debris but the bodies of the passengers have not been found.

Another Adam Air plane made a hard landing last week amid heavy rains and strong wind, causing a major crack near the left wing and the plane visibly bend. Several passengers were injured in the incident.

The government has earlier banned domestic companies from operating planes of above 35 years of age or already made 70,000 landings.

Source: Xinhua