Air Paradise and Star Air to Fly Again?: Indonesia

I have always flown Garuda Airlines whenever I have travelled to Indonesia and domestically I have always tried to board a Garuda flight but sometimes it has been unavoidable and I had to use another carrier.

There has been occasions however when I have travelled internationally using another carrier but that was purely out of curiosity. One of these airlines was the fantastic Sempati Airlines. I really couldn't fault them and those hostesses with their short skirts made the flight shall we say, entertaining.

Then along came Air Paradise. Again out of curiosity I took one of their flights out of Perth in Australia to Bali. A lot of people only have praise for the airline but that was until it suddenly went bust literally overnight and ruined so many people's holidays. Personally I though they were crap. On the one and only flight I had with the carrier, I instantly knew how a sardine felt in a can. But that is by the by now.

I must admit however I have never used PT Star Air as a carrier. It is a domestic carrier of which I know very little.

Bali Discovery picked up on an article in the Tempo magazine about the Government reportedly being ready to give the Green Light for the two Indonesian carriers to resume flying:

tempointeraktif.com the website of the authoritative Indonesian-language newsweekly. Tempo reports that the Department of Civil Aviation has announced that two closed Indonesian air carriers - PT Air Paradise and PT Star Air are ready to resume commercial operations sometime at the end of 2006.

The Director of Aviation in the Department, Eddy Wibowo told the publication, they are in the process of finalizing various requirements. Wibowo said PT Air Paradise will continue to operate on international routes while PT Star Air will fly as a domestic carrier.

In granting the airlines the right to resume service the Government has reportedly reviewed the viability of the operations including the size of each airline's armada, the quality of its managerial manpower and capital resources on hand to maintain a safe operation.

Among the requirements imposed by the government are a minimal working capital of Rp. 100 billion; a fleet size of at least 5 aircraft; and the ability to employ pilots and technical staff with the skill and experience to meet government guidelines.

Claims Ahead?

When the Bali-based carrier Air Paradise suspended services in November 2005 millions of dollars in funds paid to the airline by Australian travel agents and wholesalers against future travel were lost.

Many industry observers will be watching closely to see how the substantial outstanding financial claims against the airlines will be addressed, if Air Paradise actually does resume international operations.