New airlines operates without license<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan and Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Medan\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The newly created Sumut Airlines began commercial flights,
\nthis week despite the fact that it has not yet obtained either a
\nbusiness or a flight license from the ministry of transportation
\nas is required by law.<\/p>\n
Despite those seemingly major details, the maiden flight from
\nFerdinand Lumban Tobing airport in Central Tapanuli regency to
\nPolonia airport in the provincial capital of Medan was presided
\nover by none other than Minister of Transportation Agum Gumelar
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
S. Eddy Wibowo, the director of airlines affairs at the
\nDirectorate General of Air Transportation at the Ministry of
\nTransportation, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the
\nministry had not yet issued business or flight licenses for Sumut
\nAirlines.<\/p>\n
He refused to discuss Agum's bizarre inauguration of the
\nairline, even though his ministry had not yet approved it.<\/p>\n
M. Syukur, a legal expert at the ministry, confirmed that
\nSumut Airlines had not been registered as one of operating
\nairlines companies in the country.<\/p>\n
\"To run commercial flights, all airlines are required to
\nobtain a business license and the Air Operator's Certificate from
\nthe Ministry of Transportation before any can get approval to
\noperate,\" Syukur told the Post.<\/p>\n
But one of the company's founders who requested anonymity
\nplayed down the absence of license.<\/p>\n
\"It's no big deal, we will take care of it later. The most
\nimportant thing is the airline is up and running. If we had to
\nwait for the license that would mean less time flying,\" he
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
He added that he did not know what kind of business
\ninstitution would manage the daily operation of the airline.<\/p>\n
The airline was purchased by the North Sumatra provincial
\nadministration, with stakeholders comprising seven regencies
\nlocated along the province's west coast, namely Central, North
\nand South Tapanuli, Mandailing Natal, Padang Sidempuan, Nias and
\nSibolga. Each will invest Rp 3.5 billion each year for
\noperational expenditures.<\/p>\n
They, however, have yet to discuss when and how their shares
\nwould pay dividends.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra governor T. Rizal Nurdin said that the
\nstakeholders would subsidize the airlines for two years by
\ncontributing the fund to be taken from each administration's
\nrespective development budget allocation.<\/p>\n
\"The subsidy will be given until the load factor reaches a
\nlevel that enables the airline to finance its own operating
\ncosts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A provincial administration spokesman, Hakimil Nasution, said
\nthat the company would use chartered 40-seater Fokker-27 planes
\nfrom Kuala Lumpur-based Rabin Global Air Servindo.<\/p>\n
There are two flights everyday plying a single route from
\nTapanuli's Ferdinand Lumban Tobing airport, formerly named
\nPinangsori to Medan.<\/p>\n
The airline is aimed at providing businesspeople access to
\nremote and isolated west coast areas.<\/p>\n
It takes seven hours to reach Central Tapanuli from Medan
\nusing land transportation, compared to just 30 minutes by flight.<\/p>\n
Syukur, however, warned of legal consequences of running an
\nairline without license, which carries a maximum jail term of one
\nyear or a maximum fine of Rp 36 million according to the Law No.
\n15\/1992 on Air Transportation.<\/p>\n
Article 13 of the law also states that the use of foreign
\naircraft from or into the country should be based on a special
\nlicense released by the government. The violation of the ruling
\ncarries a maximum jail term of five years and a fine of Rp 60
\nmillion.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-airlines-operates-without-license-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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