AirAsia, one of the low cost airliners of the world
is facing its biggest ever challenge after one of its flight, Airbus 320-200
with 162 people on board went missing during a flight from the Indonesian city
of Surabaya to Singapore on Dec 28.
According to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue
Agency, the Airbus with 162 people on board is likely at the bottom of the sea
after a possible engine failure or accident.
AirAsia was built up from two planes in 2001 to an
airline industry titan that operates more than 180 jets in just over a decade
but now faces its biggest ever challenge.
Indonesia AirAsia is 49 percent owned by Malaysia-based
AirAsia Bhd with local investors holding the rest.
The AirAsia group of airlines has had a virtually
unblemished safety record until Dec 28 compared with competitors like Malaysia
Airlines and Indonesian carriers such as Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia which have lost several planes in crashes over the last decade.
The AirAsia group, which includes affiliates in
Thailand, the Philippines and India, has become a major competitor to regional
carriers such as Malaysia Airline , Singapore Airlines and Qantas.
With 475 aircraft ordered or delivered, AirAsia has
emerged as the biggest Asian customer of Airbus. The orders have been so large
they have earned a footnote in the world's largest trade dispute between Airbus
and Boeing over mutual accusations of illegal subsidies.
No comments:
Post a Comment