Adam Air is an Indonesian airline founded in 2003. It is named after the CEO of the company. The airline has already suffered two major accidents in 2007, one of which 90 people died in. Adam Air might lose its license, if they are not able to considerably improve their safety regulations within some months.
[Show Complete History]
Adam Air, which was originally incorporated as PT. Adam SkyConnection Airlines, was founded by Indonesian businesspeople Agung Laksono and Sandra Ang on November 21, 2003. It is owned by and named after Adam Adhitya Suherman, the Chief Executive of the company. The airline is referred to as a low-cost carrier, but it is not a plain one, as for example on-board meals are served.
Adam Air is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Flight operations began in December 2003, with one Boeing 737-400 and one Boeing 737-500, both leased from GE Capital Aviation Services. Several other Boeings were acquired in the following years.
The route network originally consisted of only three destinations apart from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Medan, Denpasar and Jogjakarta.
In 2006, the airline first leased six Airbus A320s and then ordered another 24, which were to be delivered from 2007. By that time, the airline reached 21 destinations, the only international ones being Singapore and Penang, Malaysia.
On January 1, 2007, an Adam Air Boeing 737-400 aircraft, flight DHI-574 en route from Surabaya to Manado, crashed in Rantepao Mountains of South Sulawesi in Indonesia. The flight carried 96 passengers (85 adults, 7 children and 4 infants) and 6 crew. 90 people died, 12 survived the accident. The cause of the crash was extremely stormy weather in the Sulawesi region. The flight recorders later were located in a depth of 2,000 meters, but not recovered, as Adam Air and the Indonesian government could not agree on who would pay for the recovery.
Already in the next month, the next incident occurred, when Adam Air flight 172, a Boeing 737-300, had a very hard landing at Juanda International Airport. The plane cracked and bended, but no one was injured. In the aftermath, all 737s of Adam Air were grounded, but most of them have been put back into service later on.
On March 22, 2007, the Indonesian government announced that seven airlines would lose their licenses within three months, if the safety standards were not improved. Adam Air was one of them. Already before this event, some rumours said that Adam Air would be shut down by the government some time soon.
The remaining fleet comprises 17 Boeing 737 aircraft, one of which is still grounded.
[Show Summary]