The airline started its history in 1963 when Pertamina established an air transportation service division named Pertamina Air Service to support employee mobility. On January 24, 1970, the division was officially separated into a separate company under the name "PT Pelita Air Service". The company also provides air transportation services for the oil and gas industry in Indonesia on a rental system.
New ventures (1987-2020)
On November 24, 1987, the company established PT Indopelita Aircraft Services (IAS) to provide maintenance services for rotating components, such as turbines, compressors and pumps, as well as general and field mechanical services. IAS also offers a digital control system to monitor equipment performance.
In 2000, the company provided scheduled flight services under the name "Pelita AirVenture". It ceased schedule flights in 2005, citing tough competition in the scheduled aviation sector. In 2016, the company started to provide transportation services fuel oil. In the same year, the company formed an Airport Strategic Business Unit (SBU) in charge of managing Pertamina's airports. In 2019, SBU Airport started managing three airports owned by Pertamina, namely Pondok Cabe Airport, Pinang Kampai Airport, and Warukin Airport. In 2020, the company started to provide general cargo transportation services.[7][8]
Relaunch as a scheduled airline (2021-present)
In late 2021, Indonesian media reported that the Indonesian Ministry of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) had plans to have Pelita Air replace the financially-ailing flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, citing the latter's high debt.[9][10] In November 2021, the ministry's plan for the airline to start scheduled flights was followed by an aircraft lease order for several Airbus A320 aircraft, during which time the airline had applied for an air operator's certificate (AOC).[11][12]
On April 28, 2022, the airline launched operations as a scheduled carrier with a flight from Jakarta to Denpasar.[13] The regular flights to Bali were later followed by flights to Yogyakarta on June 20, 2022, with more routes from Jakarta planned.[14] Upon the launch of regular services, the Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir, stated that Pelita Air would be solely focusing on the domestic market as opposed to flying international routes, referring to the size of the domestic Indonesian aviation market.[15] However, later in 2022, reports emerged of plans for the airline to start Hajj operations to Saudi Arabia in 2023.[16]
Destinations
As of June 2024[update], Pelita Air flies to eight Indonesian destinations out of its hub at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport:
Registered as PK-PJQ, was used by Sempati Air in Aug 1977, transferred to the Indonesian Government in July 1979, and then to the Indonesian Air Force as A-7002 in Nov. 1982. After a lease back to Pelita in 1985, the aircraft was leased to Garuda Indonesia in 1989 as PK-GAU.[36]
PK-PCL crashed in Mount Lokon,[37] PK-PCM crashed en route from Palembang to Jakarta,[38] and PK-PCX crashed in Mount Cemonyet while flying in bad weather.[39]
De Havilland Dash 7
6
50
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
—
-
Unidentified numbers of aircraft in the fleet. Two aircraft registered as PK-PHA & PK-PHB crashed in 1965.
Back then, F27s were used to transport cargo and employees. One crashed as PK-PFB, another crashed as PK-PFC in Misool Island due to fuel shortage,[43] and one was registered as PK-CFD (operated by PT. Caltex Pacific Indonesia).
Grumman G-111 Albatross
3
—
Only 3 G-111s were in the fleet. PK-VAA crashed landed near Seletar.[44] (Registration PK-PAM that was formerly used for one of the G-111 was re-used for the ATR 72-500.)
Gulfstream II
2
—
Both registered as PK-PJG & PK-PJZ
Gulfstream III
1
—
Only 1 aircraft in the fleet, registered as PK-PJA
L-100s used for transmigration and cargo services. One crashed in Hong Kong as PK-PLV,[47] one crash landed in Jayapura as PK-PLU,[48] and one with an unidentified registration overran in South Sudan.[49]
NAMC YS-11
2
64
One of the few NAMC YS-11 operators in Indonesia, both aircraft being registered as PK-PYV & PK-PYW[50]
Shorts S.7 Skyvan 3
3
19
Only 3 in the fleet, registered as PK-PSC, PK-PSF, and PK-PSG
Two were later used by Manunggal Air and were written off due to an accident, both aircraft registered as PK-VTP & PK-VTQ
Accidents and incidents
On 6 December 2023, Pelita Air Flight 205, an Airbus A320-200 (registration PK-PWD), which was to fly from Surabaya to Jakarta, canceled its takeoff due to a bomb threat at Juanda International Airport, Surabaya. All passengers were asked to disembark, and one person was secured by officers.[51]
Notes
^Indonesia said it will not allow Pelita Air to conduct international flights.[2]
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