Lion Air Stops Flying as Curbs and Virus Tests Deter Passengers
Lion Air aircraft are parked on the tarmac at Juanda International airport in Surabaya, Indonesia on April 24.
Photographer: Juni Kriswanto/AFP via Getty Images
Indonesia’s Lion Air said it is halting all flights indefinitely because of the impact coronavirus-related measures such as compulsory tests for passengers have had on travel.
The carrier, whose slogan is “we make people fly,” is grounding its fleet from Friday, according to a statement. It had suspended scheduled domestic flights late last month. Lion Air has 138 aircraft, a spokesperson said, and a route network throughout Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam and Malaysia. Its units Batik Air and Wings Air, which have a combined fleet of 140 planes, also won’t fly.