LION Air will deploy reserve aircraft to certain airports, and increase aircraft ground time in an effort to improve its punctuality.
Lion Air general affairs director, Edward Sirait, said: “Having reserve aircraft in a number of airports will enable quick replacement if and when an aircraft is out of order, or when there is an arrival delay from the previous departing point.”
He added: “Extended ground time will allow better checking-in, baggage and ground-handling processes.”
Lion Air and sister company Wings Air, which together serve 63 Indonesian and seven regional and international destinations, have been experiencing problems with aircraft punctuality of late.
The airline recently received a warning from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, following a five-hour flight delay at Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, which left passengers stranded at the airport in the middle of the night.
The airline has also been on the receiving end of negative feedback due to repeated delays.
Director General of Air Transportation, Herry Bakti Gumay, warned that if the delays continue to occur, the government would be forced to reduce the airline’s flight frequencies.
