#60 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
28 reviews
Hi! Hi! Hello! Welcome back to my Flight Report here on my another commute to Makassar.
I was actually really indecisive to report this one out, but hey let's celebrate my first flight after a long year of 2020 without flying due to COVID-19. As an archipelago country, the only way to travel between one island to another easily and fast is to fly for sure. When the government lift the ban for domestic flight it was such a great news as my family live in two different island. Since the ban lifted, gradually more people flying to do their business, airline also start to fly more aircraft than before. Due to COVID-19 there is a huge change in airline service protocols in Indonesia, all passengers required to do Rapid Test or PCR Swab Test before flight and that result is a mandatory document required for every passengers. We also required to filled up an E-Health Alert Card on mobile app before we enter the check-in area at the departure airport and the barcode will be scanned at the arrival airport. It was such a hassle adding more time to prepared before flight, but those stuff happened and needed due to never ending pandemic COVID-19.
Hopefully 2021 will be better year for all of us in aviation industries, aviation enthusiast, travelers, frequent fliers, etc.
So let's begin!
Previous flight from Bandung to Surabaya on Wings Air ATR 72.
Glad the flight wasn't that full so I can move from my assigned seat to 1C as requested by the cabin crew to fill that empty seat and seated at 3/4A to enjoy the view of my very first flight after a while. As at that time BDO still serves 'only' propeller flight only, so as usual we have to reaching bigger airport for transit before headed to UPG.
After arrived from bus that transported us from the previous flight, I went to the Transit Desk to get our boarding pass for the next flight, then I went to a toilet, and right after that we head straight up to the departure area at the 2nd floor. Of course we should passed the security check point as its mandatory for every transit passengers.
The boarding gate number 3, boarding pass, and finally called to board from gate 4. Yeap using bus…
Lion Mentari Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 737-900ER
Registration: PK-LGL | Msn: 35729 | Age: 11.2 Years
Configuration: Y213
Origin: Juanda International Airport, Surabaya - Sidoarjo (SUB)
Destination: Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Makassar - Maros (UPG)
Flight Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Even tho all pax must have a PCR Swab Test / Rapid Test results as Covid-19 preventions. For me it's still so creepy to see the flight without seat distancing with their reason as 'a family flying can occupied all row' Like I don't buy what they said. I guess they just making money after long time no flying. Boarding by bus it does mean we can wander a little bit because I boarded from rear door and you know we can get some hot apron not so fresh air before get into the pressurized tube. As we can see from the interior itself already shown its age (no Boeing Sky Interior). the window also kinda dirty and scratchy.
Pushback and taxi to the runway. We passed the Merpati Maintenance Hangar, lots of its former 737-200, Fokker, and I believe MA-60 also still there. But, I can't believe that they said Merpati Nusantara (MZ) will be back in the air? Like for real?
QZ stored their aircraft in-front of T2 SUB, I believe all departure and arrival for both of domestic and international in SUB only operates in T1. So the airport operator use the apron as another storage spots. Take-off…
I can't believe that I'm missing flying so bad till I even miss this lousy head rest cover.
Seat Pitch and seat pocket contents. So funny that they still put the inflight magazine in the seat pocket. Its still there before all flight were stopped and not even bother to remove it, when others already remove it when they back flying.
The 'old' Batik Air Indonesia (ID) plan to open International Destination in 2020. But, nevermind that won't happen eventually as I know Lion Group/Lion Air as the 'mother' face difficulties due to the Pandemic.
The vast fleet of Lion Group: Lion Air - JT, Wings Air - IW, Batik Air - ID, Malindo - OD, Thai Lion Air - SL, and also Lion BizJet fleet. The infographics not represent current fleet situation, as reported from planespotters.net all of 10 Airbus A330 both of six A330ceo and four A330neo from ID and SL transferred to JT and also some of Boeing 737 from SL and OD transferred to JT and ID. So from total of 321 aircraft across Lion Group there's 212 in service and 109 still in storage. For the time of writing the report on November 2020: JT 141 aircraft, ID 74 aircraft, IW 65 aircraft, OD 27 aircraft, and SL 14 aircraft.
The cabin situation remain quite for the remaining of the flight.
New for me! As we started to descend I realize something unusual,
So for most of my previous flight to UPG, we always make an approached from south and land from Runway 03, but for this flight we approached from north and land from Runway 21. What a new views, islands at Pangkajene regency, Karst hills, the view of cross runway of UPG that rarely use, and finally the view of the terminal building.
As soon as we vacate from the runway, we taxi to the gate, the apron not so packed with Lion Group at that time. We can spot Bukalapak and 100th Aircraft livery of Lion. We finally parked next to Citilink, disembark processed 10 by 10 row as we seated at the very rear so it took some time as no stairway from rear door. What a pleasure to used a jetbrigde in UPG on JT flight. JT's A339neo parked here, I'm not even sure from where and since when. Walked to the arrival hall that located in the 1st floor.
After scanned the E-HAC Barcode we can proceed and immediately headed out. Not so busy arrival area. Headed to downtown Makassar
Thank you so much for stopping by and read my flight report! Really sorry for the typos, bad grammar, etc. As I enjoyed reading/views high quality FR, so I tried my best to deliver FR that met those standards. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to click the like button and comment down below about my flight with LNI/JT
My other flight report:
1. Lion Air JT646 Surabaya (SUB) - Lombok (LOP)
2. Citilink Indonesia QG167 Lombok (LOP) - Jakarta (HLP)
3. Citilink Indonesia QG813 Medan (KNO) - Bandung (BDO)
4. Sriwijaya Air SJ591 Makassar (UPG) - Jakarta (CGK)
5. Indonesia Air Asia QZ257 Bangkok (DMK) to Jakarta (CGK)
6. Wings Air IW1812 Bandung (BDO) to Yogyakarta (JOG)
7. Batik Air ID6375 Yogyakarta (JOG) to Jakarta (CGK)
8. Qatar Airways QR955 Jakarta (CGK) to Doha (DOH)
9. Qatar Airways QR7 Doha (DOH) to London (LHR)
10. Garuda Indonesia GA677 Yogyakarta (JOG) to Makassar (UPG)
11. Lion Air JT883 Makassar (UPG) to Kertajati (KJT)
12. Garuda Indonesia GA610 Jakarta (CGK) to Makassar (UPG)
13. Lion Air JT883 Makassar (UPG) to Kertajati (KJT)
Flight during pandemic COVID-19 in Indonesia was such a hassle. Wish and hope all the best in 2021 for all of us. Stay safe and wash your hands!
2 Comments
Yikes, I can't believe they kept the old in-flight magazines all that time when most other airlines have removed them. Especially since they're the same ones from before the beginning of the pandemic that have just been sitting there so long...kind of a health risk! Eek
Thanks for sharing!
You're very welcome Kevin! Thanks for stopping by!
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