Aircraft

Indonesian carrier Adam Air expects to place an order soon for either Airbus A320s or Boeing 737-800s, with the first aircraft to be delivered in 2008.

“We are still evaluating and preparing our business plan and comparing NGs [737-800s] and A320s. We want to make a decision soon – hopefully in the next couple of months,” says Adam Air vice-president/director Dave Laksono.

Adam Air plans to order “15 to 20 aircraft”, he says, although it still has to work out financing. The airline also plans an interim lease of A320s or 737-800s.

The airline operates 15 737s, of which six are -200s, and these older models will be phased out when their leases expire in 2007, says president Adam Adhitya Suherman.

Its other aircraft are 737-300/400/500s, and three more of this generation are due in Jakarta before 18 December – one from CIT, one from GE Commercial Aviation Services and one from International Lease Finance.

Adam Air launched its first international service in October, with flights from Jakarta to Singapore. It plans to launch non-stop services to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Perth, as well as one-stop services to India and Vietnam via Singapore.