Merpati Nusantara Airlines

With a start-up capital of 10 million rupiah in September 1962, Merpati began operations in Kalimantan, using a fleet of four de Havilland Otter/DHC-3s and two Douglas DC-3 Dakotas provided by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU). Pilots and technicians were supplied by the Indonesian Air Force, Garuda Indonesia Airways, and other civil aviation companies. Its mission, defined by the government, was to become an 'air bridge' linking remote areas of Indonesia and thereby helping to build the economies of such regional areas. The air bridge theme is the basis of the current Merpati logo, displayed on the tails of its aircraft.

The first Managing Director appointed was Air Commodore Sutoyo Adiputro Henk (1962–1966) who had an initial staff of 17 people. In 1963, the airline expanded its routes to include Jakarta - Tanjung Karang (Bandar Lampung), Jakarta - Semarang, and Jakarta - Balikpapan. In 1964, the airline took over operations from NV de Kroonduif Garuda, increasing its aircraft fleet to 12. With the addition of three DC-3 Dakotas, two DHC-6 Twin Otters and 1 DHC-2 Beaver, Merpati began to grow, with operations now reaching Sumatra, Papua and Nusa Tenggara Barat. Further expansion saw the addition of more aircraft, including three Dornier DO-28s and six Pilatus Porter PC-6s, and staff numbers growing to 583 people.

The airline was jointly owned by the Indonesian Government (93.2%) and Garuda Indonesia (6.8%).

In June 2011, the Merpati commercial director stated that the airline was opening a tender for 15 jet airliners, including 40 aircraft with a capacity of 50 passengers and 20 additional aircraft carrying 20 passengers, such as the MA-60, the NC-212 or DHC-6 Twin Otter. The following month, with the airline suffering from financial difficulties, the government and the legislature agreed to provide a capital injection of Rp.516 billion ($60.7 million) to Merpati Nusantara Airlines in the 2012 state budget.

In February 2014, due to the airline's inability to pay its employees salary or benefits for three consecutive months, many pilots and cabin crew resigned. The same month, Merpati suspended all services due to cashflow problems, including an inability to obtain fuel on credit, obliging the company to pay cash. On 24 July 2014 it was reported that the Indonesian Ministry of Finance had decided not to reopen the company following the airline's accumulating a debt of 7.9 trillion Rupiahs, as well as the failure of a debt-to-equity-swap plan proposed by the company.

In late 2016 the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises stated that the airline might be able to resume commercial flights in 2017 following a restructuring plan and government cash injection.

On 14 November 2018, The Panel of Judges of the Commercial Court decided to approve the peace proposal of PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines with its creditors held at the District Court (PN), Surabaya, East Java. Thus, PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines was declared not bankrupt.

However, by June 2022, The New Merpati has been presumed no longer return and the airline license has been permanently revoked by the government. Thus, Merpati's obligations to third parties, such as severance pay to former employees, will be settled by selling all of its assets through an auction mechanism.

Previous fleet

The Merpati fleet included the following aircraft prior to its suspension (as of January 2014):

Fleet development

In 2012, Merpati announced that it would take delivery of Airbus A320 aircraft in 2014 but, due to cash problems, this proposal was canceled. Through a restructuring plan and government cash injection, Merpati hoped to relaunch its operations by the end of 2017 or early 2018, most likely using Boeing 737-700 or Boeing 737-800 aircraft. However, this plan was aborted as the airline decided to order other aircraft types instead.

In 2018 Merpati Nusantara signed a letter of intent for 10 Irkut MC-21-300 aircraft.

Accidents and incidents

On 10 November 1971, Vickers Viscount PK-MVS crashed into the sea 75 miles (121 km) off Sumatra, killing all 69 people on board.

On 5 April 1972, a Vickers Viscount was the subject of an attempted hijacking. The hijacker was killed.

On 7 February 1977, a Douglas C-47A PK-NDH was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident at Tanjung Santan Airport.

On 5 October 1978, a Douglas C-47A PK-NDI caught fire whilst parked at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali and was destroyed.

On 30 January 1991, Flight 7970, a Fokker 27 crashed after takeoff from Sam Ratulangi International Airport, all passengers survived.

On 18 October 1992, Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 5601, a CASA/IPTN CN-235 crashed into Mount Papandayan killing all 31 passengers and crew on board including Merpati's only female pilot at the time.