Jakarta: An AirAsia jet’s engine failed just before its take off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya and the 120 passengers on board were asked to disembark, in the latest incident to hit the airline’s flights.
The plane had been taxiing at the Juanda International Airport before takeoff when the engine suddenly died, horrifying passengers, who heard a loud sound.
The Bandung-bound plane made it back to the gate and the 120 passengers on board were then asked to disembark while the plane underwent repairs.
A passenger was quoted as saying that a man clad in pilots’ uniform told passengers waiting at the terminal that the starter monitor had malfunctioned.
"The plane was ready and moved, but suddenly a loud sound was heard, the sound of the engine disappeared and the plane moved backwards. We were shocked and panicked. The plane was then pulled back to where it parked and we were asked by the stewardess to leave the plane," the passenger said.
The plane was supposed to have departed at 9 pm local time yesterday.
The passenger said that the airline later told passengers that the flight would be resumed after the issue had been attended to, but about 90 per cent of them refused to re-board the plane, fearing that the fault would reoccur during the flight.
AirAsia then refunded the plane fare of those passengers who had declined to continue with the flight.
The airline has come under a scanner after its Flight QZ8501 with 162 people on board en route from Surabaya to Singapore mysteriously crashed last Sunday in the Java Sea.
The Indonesian authorities have said that AirAsia had violated the terms of its licence for the Surabaya to Singapore route by flying on a Sunday, the day the aircraft plunged into the Java Sea. The authorities would probe the carrier’s other schedules.
However, Singapore said it had approved the Surabaya-Singapore route for AirAsia flights on Sundays after the low-cost carrier’s permit was frozen by Indonesia.
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia’s second-largest city, located on East Java, and is historically significant as the site of a major battle in 1945 that galvanized Indonesian independence. Its name is popularly believed to derive from the words “suro” (shark) and “boyo” (crocodile), stemming from a local myth about two powerful animals. Today, it is a major industrial, commercial, and port city known for its naval history and vibrant, modern energy.
Juanda International Airport
Juanda International Airport is an international airport located in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. It was originally established in the colonial era in 1928 and was later renamed to honor I Gusti Ngurah Rai, a national hero, before being officially named after Djuanda Kartawidjaja, the last Prime Minister of Indonesia, in the 1990s. Today, it serves as a major gateway to the city of Surabaya and the eastern region of Java.
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java, Indonesia, famously known as the “Paris of Java” for its European-style architecture and vibrant arts and fashion scene. Historically, it was the site of the pivotal 1955 Asia-Africa Conference, which gathered leaders from developing nations to promote economic and cultural cooperation and oppose colonialism. Today, it is a major educational and creative hub, surrounded by volcanic mountains and tea plantations.
Java Sea
The Java Sea is a shallow marine basin located between the Indonesian islands of Java and Borneo, historically forming a vital shipping route for the spice trade. It is the site of significant naval battles from World War II, where numerous Allied warships were sunk by Japanese forces. The seafloor is now an important archaeological site, containing the wrecks of these vessels as historic war graves.
Singapore
Singapore is a modern city-state in Southeast Asia that was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It gained independence in 1965 and rapidly transformed into a global economic hub, known for its remarkable multiculturalism, strict governance, and iconic landmarks like Marina Bay Sands.
AirAsia
AirAsia is a Malaysian low-cost airline founded in 1993, which was transformed into a highly successful budget carrier after being purchased by entrepreneur Tony Fernandes in 2001. It revolutionized air travel in Southeast Asia by making flying affordable for millions and has since grown into one of the region’s largest airlines.
Flight QZ8501
Flight QZ8501 was an Indonesia AirAsia flight that tragically crashed into the Java Sea on December 28, 2014, during a flight from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore. The crash, which was caused by a combination of severe weather and crew action, resulted in the loss of all 162 passengers and crew on board.
Indonesia
Indonesia is a Southeast Asian archipelago comprising over 17,000 islands, with a rich history shaped by powerful Hindu-Buddhist empires, the spread of Islam, and European colonialism, notably by the Dutch. Its diverse cultural heritage is reflected in ancient temples like Borobudur, vibrant artistic traditions, and hundreds of distinct ethnic groups and languages.
