The Indonesian carrier Lion Air has been forced to ground its planes and cancel flights just weeks after resuming operations because passengers won’t comply with COVID-19 measures introduced by the airline. Lion Air restarted flights on May 10th with a slew of safety measures in place to reduce the risk of spreading the novel Coronavirus but by Wednesday both domestic and international flights were once again cancelled according to the airline.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Lion Air said the decision was “based on considerations from an evaluation of previous flight operations, that 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.”
As well as completing mandatory health declaration forms and other documentation, passengers were also expected to wear a face mask, wash their hands regularly and “maintain cleanliness while on the plane”.
Lion Air cited the need to look after the health of its employees for one of the reasons behind deciding to once again suspend flight operations. The spokesperson said Lion Air “continuously monitors the progress of the situation” and would continue to prepare for a resumption of services.
The airline could not immediately say when flights might resume.
It’s not just Lion Air that has struggled to get passengers to comply with safety measures put in place to protect them from COVID-19. American, Delta and United Airlines all faced a barrage of criticism for telling flight attendants they couldn’t force passengers to wear a face mask onboard despite all three airlines having mandatory face mask requirements.
British Airways has also told its cabin crew that passengers can refuse to wear a mask and that they have no power to stop passenger roaming around the plane despite clear guidance to stay seated.
