The Boeing 737-800 of Batik Air Collided With TransNusa Air Services' Aerospatiale ATR 42-600

On Monday, April 4, 2016, PK-LBS, a Boeing 737-800 of Batik Air collided with TransNusa Air Services' Aerospatiale ATR 42-600, PK-TNJ at 19:55 at Jakarta-Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. PK-TNJ was carrying four crews at the time of the accident while PK-LBS was carrying 49 passengers and 7 crews. PK-LBS was operating flight ID7703 to Makassar-Sultan Hassanudin International Airport. All people on board both aircraft were survived the accident.

PK-TNJ, TransNusa Air Services’ Aerospatiale ATR 42-600 after collided with PK-LBS, the Boeing 737-800 of Batik Air

Based on Director General of Civil Aviation, when this accident occurred at 19.55, PK-TNJ, the Aerospatiale ATR 42-600 of TransNusa Air Services was being towed to hangar when PK-LBS, the Boeing 737-800 of Batik Air was taking off. The left wing of PK-LBS sliced the vertical stabilizer of PK-TNJ until both the aircraft's wing and vertical stabilizer ripped off from the Aerospatiale ATR 42-600 aircraft. PK-TNJ's vertical stabilizer was totally destroyed. The left wing of PK-LBS, the Boeing 737-800 was ripped off from the aircraft after collided with TransNusa Air Services' Aerospatiale ATR 42-600. After collided with PK-TNJ, PK-LBS veered and its wing caught on fire. 

The wing damages on PK-LBS, the Boeing 737-800 of Batik Air

Some passengers of Batik Air flight 7703 told if they didn't know what happened when the Boeing 737-800 hit the Aerospatiale ATR 42-600 of TransNusa Air Services. Passengers only felt a bump just like when a car's tire hitting a hole in the road. But, some passengers heard a loud bang when the Boeing 737-800 collided with the Aerospatiale ATR 42-600. After hit PK-TNJ, some passengers of Batik Air flight 7703 heard the pilots screamed "Fire! Fire!" after the plane veered and caught fire.

PK-LBS caught fire after the collision

The firefighter of Jakarta-Halim Perdanakusuma Airport immediately extinguished the fire and evacuated the passengers. Jakarta-Halim Perdanakusuma Airport only has one runway. So, the airport authority closed the airport until 22:00. The consequence, many flights were diverted to the nearby airport like Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The passengers of Batik Air flight 7703 received compensation and have flown by airline with the another aircraft while some passengers refused to fly with another flight and decided to cancel their flight with too traumatized as the reason.

Both aircraft involved in this accident were new, PK-TNJ, the Aerospatiale ATR 42-600 was delivered to TransNusa Air Services in September 2014 while PK-LBS was delivered to Batik Air in November 2014. Experts believe this accident may be caused by poor coordination by ATC. The investigators are now investigating this accident. Luckily, Batik Air flight 7703 was not traveling at the high speed, or the Tenerife Airport Disaster that happened in 1977 when KLM Royal Dutch Airlines' Boeing 747-200B collided with Pan American World Airways' Boeing 747-100 that killing 583 people aboard both aircraft.

Korean Air Will Fly to Okinawa

HL7530, Korean Air's first Boeing 777-200ER at Tokyo-Narita International Airport on 29 December 2010. Korean Air will operate this aircraft type to serve Okinawa route

Korean Air, the national airline of the South Korea and also the largest airline company in South Korea announced if they will begin passenger service from Seoul-Incheon International Airport to Okinawa-Naha Airport start from 5 May 2016. The route will be served seven times in a week by 248 seated Boeing 777-200ER. Flight from Seoul to Okinawa will take approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Based on www.koreanherald.com, Okinawa is one of the most popular tourist destination in Japan with over 7,000,000 people visiting the city in a year.

Thai Airways' Former Airbus A340s: Still No Buyer?

HS-TLA, the former Airbus A340-500 of Thai Airways, took off from Milan-Malpensa International Airport

Thai Airways, the national airline of Thailand was one of the costumers of Airbus A340 series at the time. It received the first Airbus A340-500 and Airbus A340-600 in 2005. It had six Airbus A340-600 and four Airbus A340-500 before the airline retired both types in 2015 because both types no longer efficient since the Airbus A340-500 and Airbus A340-600 have two engines. Two engines mean more expensive maintenance cost and more fuel needed than the two-engined Airbus A330-300. Thai Airways also faced a financial problem at the time, so the airline needs to cut operational cost and sell some aircraft, including Airbus A340. After being retired, the Airbus A340s was sold by Thai Airways. But, the airline still had no buyer for its Airbus A340s until now.

Now, Thai Airways has 17 Airbus A330-300 as the replacement of Airbus A340s. The Airbus A330-300 has the same capacity as the Airbus A340s. But, it has two engines instead four engines. So, many airlines (including Thai Airways) decided to replace its Airbus A340s with more efficient aircraft but with same capacity with Airbus A340 like Airbus A330 and Airbus A350 XWB. For many years, the high fuel price becomes a big problem for many airlines, as it reduces airlines' profits. So, many airlines need fuel-efficient aircraft to reduce outlay. Efficient aircraft also helps to reduce air pollution in the atmosphere.