Lion Air
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2009) |
| File:Lionair logo.png | |||||||
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| Founded | 1999 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Soekarno-Hatta International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Lion Passport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 43 (+152 orders) | ||||||
| Destinations | 40 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Jakarta, Indonesia | ||||||
| Key people | Rusdi Kirana (Chief Executive Officer) | ||||||
| Website | [1] | ||||||
PT Lion Mentari Airlines (operating as Lion Air) is Indonesia’s largest private carrier and Asia’s first hybrid carrier which offers both economy- and business-class seating, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operates scheduled passenger services on an extensive domestic network from Jakarta to 40 destinations with 210 daily flights (as of May 2008). Lion Air also flies to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. Its main base is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta [1]. The airline is on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union.
History
The airline was established in October 1999 and started operations on June 30, 2000, when it began scheduled passenger services between Jakarta and Pontianak using a leased Boeing 737-200. It is wholly owned by Rusdi Kirana and family [1]. The airline is also planning to become an IATA member, therefore accompanying Garuda Indonesia.
In January 2008, Lion Air announced plans to start operating from Australia. The new airline, to be named Lion Air Australia is set to operate as a domestic and international airline.
Destinations
Fleet
Current
The Lion Air fleet includes the following aircraft (at 20 October 2009):[2]
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-300 | 2 | 0 | 148 | Short haul | To be phased out: 2009 |
| Boeing 737-400 | 8 | 0 | 158 | Short-Medium haul | To be phased out: 2011 |
| Boeing 737-900ER | 26 | 152 | 212 | Short-Medium haul | Launch Customer |
| Boeing 747-400 | 2 | 0 | 498 | Long Haul Jakarta-Jeddah, Riyadh |
1 stored at CGK 1 stored at KUL |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 1 | 0 | For Wings Air | ||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-90 | 4 | 0 | 1 stored at AMI being repaired 1 stored at CGK being repaired | ||
| Total | 43 | 152 | Last updated: 20 October 2009 |
Lion Air's average fleet age is 11.1 years old in February 2009.[3]
_(PK-LFI)_at_Sultan_Hasanuddin_International_Airport.jpg)
From 2007 until 2012, 144 Boeing 737-900ERs will be delivered from the total 178 aircraft ordered to strengthen Lion Air's fleet. The 737-900ER is the newest member of Next Generation 737 family with the most advanced single-aisle commercial aircraft in the world. All other aircraft, including the Boeing 737 Classics family and the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing MD-80 family, are being phased out to give space for their new aircraft. There is a plan to buy the Airbus A320-200 aircraft as well.
From June 2009 Lion Air will start operating flights to Jeddah, will be using Boeing 747-400 ex Oasis Airlines. On 31 May 2009, the picture of the first Boeing 747-400 was uploaded to airliners.net. [4]
Modernization
- On 26 May 2005, Lion Air signed a preliminary agreement with Boeing for the purchase of up to 60 Next Generation Boeing 737 aircraft, valued at $3.9 billion. These would replace the current fleet and provide for further expansion. Subsequently in July 2005, Lion Air confirmed a contract for 30 Boeing 737-900ERs, with options for another 30. It can carry up to 215 passengers in a single-class layout, and will be powered by CFM56-7B26 turbofan engines.
- On 17 July 2006, Lion Air announced that it has converted options for another 30 Boeing 737-900ERs into firm orders (now total of 60 aircraft on order), with deliveries commencing early 2010 through to 2012.
- On 27 April 2007, Boeing delivered the first Boeing 737-900ER to launch customer Lion Air. The aircraft was delivered in a special dual-paint scheme that combines Lion Air's trademark lion on its vertical stabilizer and the Boeing livery colors on the fuselage.
- On 18 June 2007, Lion Air announced at the Paris Air Show orders for an additional 40 737-900ER planes bringing its orders to 100.
- On 4 December 2007, Lion Air announced 22 additional order of 737-900ERs, bringing the total order to 122.
- On 19 February 2008, Lion Air added 56 of the 737-900ERs which adds the order to 178 planes during the 2008 Singapore Airshow.
- On 19 November 2008, Lion Air inked a MoU for 10 new ATR72-500 aircraft plus 10 options, with the aircraft designated to be operated by WingsAir. The new aircraft will begin delivering in 2009.
- Lion Air is one of the seven airlines will be the first to incorporate the new, spacious 737 Boeing Sky Interior starting in late 2010. The interior features soft, blue-sky-like lighting overhead. [5]
Retired
| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| Airbus A310 | 2 |
| Boeing 737-200 | 2 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 22 |
Incidents and accidents
Lion Air has suffered 2 incidents and 3 accidents, 1 of which was fatal, since being formed in 1999. [6]
- On 14 January 2002, Lion Air Flight 386, a Boeing 737-200 crashed on take-off and was written off; however, no-one was killed.
- On 30 November 2004, Lion Air Flight 538, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashed in Surakarta, killing 25 people. This is the airline's first fatal accident.
- On 4 March 2006, Lion Air Flight 8987, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, after landing at Juanda International Airport reverse thrust was used although stated to be out of order, this caused the aircraft to veer to the right and skid off the runway coming to rest 7,000ft from the approach end of RWY10. No-one was killed but the aircraft was damaged with a repair bill of $3,000,000.
- On 24 December 2006, Lion Air Flight 792, a Boeing 737-400, landed with incorrected flap configuration and was not center with the runway. The plane landed hard and skidded along the runway causing the right main landing gear to detach, the left gear to protrude through the wing and some of the aircraft fuselage wrinkled. No-one was killed.
- On 9 March 2009, Lion Air Flight 793, a McDonnell Douglas MD-90 overran the runway in Jakarta in heavy rain, no-one was killed.
External links
References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 106.
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines Part 2 (C-L)". Flight International: 31-80. 2009-06.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Lion Air Fleet Age
- ^ Lion Air's first 747
- ^ Lion Air to receive new cabins
- ^ Lion Air accidents/incidents
