PT Indonesia AirAsia, operating as Indonesia AirAsia, is a low-cost airline based in Tangerang, Indonesia. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and is an Indonesian associate carrier of Malaysian low-fare airline, AirAsia. Its main base is Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. Indonesia AirAsia is listed in category 1 by the Indonesian Civil Aviation Authority for airline safety quality. History Awair (1999-2005) The airline was established as Awair (Air Wagon International) in 1999 by Abdurrahman Wahid, who was chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia. Wahid had a 40% stake in the airline which he relinquished after being elected president of Indonesia in late October 1999. The airline started operations on 22 June 2000 with Airbus A300, A310 and A320 aircraft, but all flights were suspended in March 2002. Awair restarted operating domestically within Indonesia as an associate of AirAsia in January 2005. Indonesia AirAsia On 1 December 2005, Awair changed its name to Indonesia AirAsia in line with other AirAsia branded airlines in the region. AirAsia Berhad has a 49% share in the airline with Fersindo Nusaperkasa owning 51%. Indonesia's laws disallow majority foreign ownership on domestic civil aviation operations. The airline, along with many others in Indonesia, was previously banned from flying to the EU. However, its ban was lifted in July 2010, together with Batavia Air. In 2011, the company appointed CIMB Securities Indonesia and Credit Suisse Securities Indonesia as joint-lead underwriters for the 20 percent IPO in the fourth quarter of that year. Batavia Air acquisition (2012-2013) A buy out of Batavia Air was announced on 26 July 2012, that was to be done in two stages; AirAsia would buy 76.95% shares from Metro Batavia in a partnership with Fersindo Nusaperkasa (Indonesia AirAsia). Following that, by 2013, AirAsia was to acquire the remaining 23.05% held by other shareholders. The acquisition of Batavia Air by AirAsia Berhad and Fersindo created some controversy with Indonesian regulators at the time, concerned that Batavia would be majority-owned by a non-Indonesian entity. By 11 October 2012 the deal between AirAsia Berhad, Fersindo Nusaperkasa (Indonesia AirAsia) and PT Metro Batavia had been dropped, citing high risks associated with the ailing airline. When the cancellation of the planned takeover between Batavia and AirAsia was announced on 11 October 2012, a joint statement was issued announcing a plan to proceed with an alliance encompassing ground handling, distribution and inventory systems in