News
Lion Air barred from adding routes for six months
May 27th 2016
Indonesia's largest carrier, Lion Air, will be barred from adding domestic and international routes for six months after the airline recorded frequent delays, cancellations and safety contraventions, Reuters reported this week. Read More » "The sanctions are so that Lion Air improves its management and flight operations," an Indonesian transport ministry spokesman said.
Lion Air director for general affairs, Edward Sirait, said the budget carrier would appeal against the ministry’s verdict. "The sanctions threaten our workers. We feel we have been treated unfairly," he said.
It was the second setback for Lion Air in a week. Under the leadership of director-general Suprasetyo, Lion Air has suspended its ground handling operations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta after a May 10 incident. Passengers disembarking from a flight from Singapore were delivered to the domestic terminal, thereby passing immigration controls. Local media reported that Soekarno-Hatta CEO, Muzaffar Ismail, was replaced following the incident.
Indonesia AirAsia’s ground handling operations at Bali’s Ngurah Rai also have been suspended, after a near identical incident where passengers coming off an international flight were bussed to the domestic terminal, also skipping immigration checks. The ministry advised both carriers to appoint third-party ground handlers in Jakarta and Bali, respectively.
