Mandala Airlines Out of Operation

Last updated: January 13, 2011

Struggling airline Mandala has ceased operations temporarily due to cash flow shortfalls.

On 12th January management of Mandala Airlines informed the Department of Transportation that it could no longer continue operating. The company’s official press release:

Tip – use zoom.

On the same day Mandala submitted a debt repayment deferment request to the Commerce Court in Jakarta, with Mandala’s corporate secretary Nurmaria Sarona saying that the company had found it unable to fulfill its lease payment obligations on its aircraft. If the court request is successful Mandala will have 45 days to submit a business restructuring plan.

Mandala is a small budget airline that operates only five aircraft (3 Airbus 320 and 2 Airbus 319); these planes have been returned to their owners. Until March 2010 Mandala had operated 11 aircraft.

The company has no plans to permanently dismiss its staff, and hopes to find new investors to shore up its financial position, and begin operating again. Its pilots will be lent out to other airlines like Tiger Air (a sister company of Mandala), so that they can continue working.

Should new investors be found President Director of Mandala Diono Nurjadin says the company intends to buy five new aircraft, and rent five others, in accordance with soon to be enforced statutory fleet number requirements.

Mandala intends to refund already booked tickets.

11 Comments on “Mandala Airlines Out of Operation”

1. Chris says:

   January 13, 2011 at 3:31 pm

   A general notice to people who have booked flights on Mandala Air with Mau Ke Mana:

   You should have received an email from us to inform you of this; if you didn’t, please contact us via email.

   In addition, let me say that this news is totally unexpected, or we wouldn’t have booked your flights on Mandala Air. Mandala Air seemed to be going well, as they e.g. recently commenced new flights to Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.

   We honestly don’t know whether Mandala Air will return. Some airlines that cease operations temporarily do come back (e.g. Citilink), others do not (e.g. Air Efata, Air Paradise).

   To answer your next question about how to get a refund if Mandala Air don’t return, we will have to find out. If necessary, we will contact clients individually about arranging refunds and alternative choices.

2. realest says:

   January 15, 2011 at 1:27 pm

   I have always chosen Mandala during my occasional flights to Yogyakarta because it’s cheap so i recommended the airline for my friend’s mom. Turns out, they were still taking orders 1 day before their announced cessation and their refund process is such a big hustle. You either need to physically claim your refund in cengkareng airport or write up a letter of attorney(my friend and her mom), both of which the refund would only be returned in 45 working days.

3. ika sartika says:

   May 1, 2011 at 10:18 am

   I’♏ very dissapointed with Mandala’s promises about refund the booked ticket. Now more than 45 days since it bankrupt I haven’t got my moneys back. There is even no α good initiative to refund the money. What should I do? Should I report this to Law institution or the police?

4. Fong Wai Mian, Catherina says:

   August 27, 2011 at 12:12 pm

   Booked and paid for the following flights for Parsiyem Sugito;
   a) 12 Dec 2010: Flight RI 809 Sin(1710) to BPN(1935)
   b) 30 Dec 2010: Flight RI 808 BPN(1355) to Sin(1620)

   Remarks;
   1) On day of flight was duly informed by call centre staff @ 6221 5665 434 that flight has departed a day earlier and next flight would be a week later. Checks with airport staff(S’pore) confirms this.
   2) Unable to wait or reprogramme our leave schedules we decided to make other costly arragements for our general helper meet her internal transportation arrangements made in advance in BPN with friends and relations.
   3) Call centre staff assured us that request for refunds is duly acknowledged and will be processed ASAP.
   4) Been frantically calling but to no avail.
   5) Writting in desperation, frustration and a earnest call to mitigation and justice for consumers to unethical operators.

5. Oigal says:

   August 28, 2011 at 11:27 pm

   Wrong country to expect consumer protection, Could be worse you could be forced out your home and village by a greedy unethical b@stareds mudflow, be blown up by another greedy unethical b@stard gas bottles, placed in jail by greedy unethical hospital for daring to complain about the service. You were expecting a ticket refund?

6. Chris says:

   August 29, 2011 at 10:23 am

   Hi Catherina,

   Sorry to say, you are not alone.

   All our affected clients are still waiting for refunds too, despite submitting their refund requests in January. We were told one month for processing, but 7 months later we are still waiting…

7. Sara says:

   February 28, 2012 at 2:06 pm

   FRAUD- is exactly what this is. We have been contacting all numbers possible for months with no actual help. If what you say is true Chris why don’t you ask people for their details so you can assist in helping them get their refunds OR POST the actual WORKING phone number and email addresses here.

8. Chris says:

   February 28, 2012 at 6:44 pm

   Dear Sara,

   Actually, I did get my passenger’s details before submitting their refund requests.

   Unfortunately, Mandala Air does not seem to have a working phone number or email address that I can share.

   However, this may be about to change. Mandala Air recently received a new AOC (air operator’s certificate) and will re-launch in April. When it becomes possible, I will enthusiastically chase Mandala Air for the refunds promised to my clients…

9. Oigal says:

   February 28, 2012 at 9:34 pm

   Sara, you are speaking like there is such a thing as consumer protection here. Remember this is the place where debt collectors beat you to death for an overdue credit card bill.

   At the end of the day, it’s cheap, it’s fun but never invest more than you can afford to lose, and that is not just advice for air tickets.

10. timdog says:

    March 8, 2012 at 3:16 am

    Flew out of Jakarta yesterday, and spotted a couple of Mandala planes on the runway (not at gates – tucked away out amongst the odds and ends, dead Wings MDs, that sort of thing). They were sporting the Tiger Air tail stripes. So it looks like they really will fly again…

11. Tara says:

    March 16, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    according to you all comments, and Timdog says, I really need to know where is the current office of Mandala Airlines. because I want to claim my refund and get my office money back. Please help me anyone who read this comment, we need a clear solution. they have to be responsible with this problem IMMEDIATELY! we costs everything for this problem. Thankyou.