As if a lost plane and over 120 missing passengers that have yet to be recovered isn't enough for AirAsia to have to handle, we're learning that the carrier could ultimately find itself in a lot of trouble or even have operations completely shuttered. The problem is that legally, AirAsia Indonesia didn't have permission to fly the Surabaya-to-Singapore route on the Sunday morning that Flight 8501 ultimately crashed into the Java Sea killing all on board.
As it turns out, the carrier is approved to fly the Surabaya-to-Singapore route four days a week and Sunday isn't one of them. That said, Flight 8501 never should have been approved to fly in the first place. Indonesia's Ministry of Transport has now suspended all AirAsia flights between the cities and they have launched a full investigation.
"Indonesia AirAsia route Surabaya-Singapore was operated outside of the permitted license, namely among others on Sunday. And Indonesia AirAsia did not submit a request to alter operational day to the Directorate General of Air Transport. This is a violation against the agreement in the route provided," said the Ministry in an official statement.
One week after crashing under bad weather conditions, there are still more questions about Flight 8501 then there are answers. Big pieces of wreckage have been spotted but monsoon-like weather in the area is making it hard to recover them. There are also conflicting theories as to whether or not icing resulted in a stall of the craft and if there's a realistic possibility that this plane might have actually made a water landing only to sink quickly.
This tragic crash is going to keep investigators busy for a long time to come. Do you think the airline is going to ultimately face disciplinary action by Indonesia's Ministry of Transport? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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