Lion Air flights suspended after passengers unable to follow COVID-19 regulations

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Lion Air flights suspended after passengers unable to follow COVID-19 regulations

June 14, 2020 - 22:46
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Indonesian carrier had resumed flights in May

Lion Air at Sepinggan International Airport

Only weeks after restarting domestic flights, Indonesian carrier Lion Air has re-cancelled them, citing issues with passengers not following COVID-19 procedures. The Lion Air group, which also includes Batik Air and Wings Air, started reintroducing short-haul flight routes on May 10.

The company announced that all routes are again suspended as of June 5th. According to an airline representative, "many prospective passengers were unable to carry out air travel because they did not complete the required documents and conditions during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic alert period."

Health Concerns

Lion Air specifically cited employee health concerns, especially cabin crew at risk of contracting coronavirus from travellers. The Jakarta-based airline had taken steps to ensure safety on board, such as blocking out middle seats, deep-cleaning planes and replacing HEPA filters on aircraft where any passenger had been suspected of illness.

To date, there is no word on whether flights will be rescheduled. Lion Air is offering refunds to pre-booked passengers, but not allowing new reservations to be made. The airline’s international flights have also been canceled. Under normal operations, Lion Air also flies to Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia and Singapore.

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