From Jakarta Globe National
The operating licenses of dozens of airlines and charter operators, including the now-banned Adam Air, will be terminated in June if they cannot continue to provide services, the Ministry of Transportation warned on Monday.
Tri Sunoko, director of air transportation at the ministry's civil aviation department, said the ministry had warned 32 air operators — many of which did not even have aircraft — that their licenses would not be renewed if they could not prove they were operational.
In accordance with a ministerial decree on regulating air transportation, the ministry had given the airlines a year-long deadline to operate a minimum of two aircraft.
If airlines failed to meet the requirements by June, they would have to halt all operations and apply for new licenses.
Most of the airlines were based in Jakarta, with a few located in Bali.
Sunoko said that some of the airlines' aircraft were idle and did not have flight clearance, while other operators did not have any planes at all.
Airlines that received notice from the ministry include: Adam Skyconnection Airlines, or Adam Air, which was banned from operating last year in the wake of a string of accidents; Golden Air; Asia Avia Megatama; Bali International Air Service; Eka Sari Lorena; Star Air; Air Paradise International; Indonesian Airlines Avi Patria; Bayu Indonesia; Bouraq Indonesia; Seulawah Nad Air; Top Sky International; Jatayu Gelang Sejahtera; Efata Papua Airlines; Deraya; Pelita Air Service; and Eagle Transport Services.
Chartered operators that operate airplanes with 30 seats or less are: Bali International Air Service; Nurman Avia Indopura; Buay Air Services; Prodexim; Aviasi Upata Raksa Indonesia; Adi Wahana Angkasa Nusantara; Daya Jasa Transindo Pratama; Nusantara Air Charter; Sky Aviation; Love Air Services; Pegasus Air Charter; Janis Air Transport; and Air Maleo.
Air Paradise International, which served only international routes to and from Bali, had to halt its operations in 2005 after only two years of service due to a massive downturn in passenger numbers after the second Bali bombings.
In March 2008, the government banned Adam Air after a string of safety incidents, including the Flight 574 crash that claimed 102 lives, but only after it became apparent the airline was bankrupt.
The airline was established by speaker of the House of Representatives, Agung Laksono, a Golkar politician, and Sandra Aung, who has been named as a suspect by police for allegedly embezzling Rp 2.1 trillion ($182.7 million) of the company's money.
The Adam Air Workers' Union is still seeking money for the 3,000 former employees it represents.