Malaysia Airlines Condoles With AirAsia

30th Dec 2014

The grieving Indonesia AirAsia, whose aircraft crashed into the sea on December 28, has received a message of regrets from Malaysia Airlines who also lost two of its aircraft earlier last year.

The Indonesian aviation's safety record is once again put into question following the crash of the flight QZ8501 which was operated by Indonesia AirAsia.

The country's officials have announced a thorough investigation on the incident which claimed the lives of 162 people including the 7 crew members on board. The news of the latest tragedy was greeted with dismay in neighboring Malaysia whose own aviation industry has been struggling in recent months following the twin tragedies, one of which remains a mystery.

The Shanghai-bound Malaysia Airlines flight, MH370, mysteriously disappeared less than an hour into its flight on March 8 last year and remained so up to this day as no trace of the plane and the people on board were ever found.

On July 17 of the same year, flight MH17 exploded mid-air over Ukrainian skies and was believed to have been shot down by surface-to-air missile. The twin incidents occurred just less than 5 months apart.

The Malaysia-based airline, which was formerly controlled by the Malaysian government, has sent a message of condolence to Indonesia AirAsia officials expressing its regrets, and extended the same to the bereaved families of the victims.

Indonesia AirAsia is partly owned by the Malaysian business mogul, Tony Fernandes, who founded the first and largest low-cost carrier in Asia in 2001. Its headquarters are located in Kuala Lumpur and operates a major hub from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It has since spawned several local affiliates across the region including AirAsia India, AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia X, Philippines AirAsia, AirAsia Zest, Thai AirAsia, and Thai AirAsia X.

The latest dent in Indonesia's aviation industry has prompted Indonesian officials to give its existing safety standards a once-over.

The country's Transportation Minister, Djoko Murjatmodjo, hinted that they will impose stricter regulations on commercial aviation following the tragedy.

The Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501 was heading for Singapore when it crashed into the Java Sea on a Sunday, December 28, killing all 162 people on board including its 7 crew members.