Indonesia to ban air, sea travel to early June

VIRUS CORONA - JAKARTA. Indonesia will temporarily ban domestic and international air and sea travel, with some exceptions, starting Friday to prevent a further spread of the coronavirus, Transport Ministry officials said on Thursday.

The ban on air travel will be in place until June 1, said Novie Riyanto Rahardjo, Transport Ministry's director general of aviation. The ban on travel by sea will run until June 8, sea transportation director general Agus Purnomo said.

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Cargo transport is exempted from the bans.

Other exceptions would include flights to repatriate Indonesian and foreign citizens, as well as travel by state officials, diplomatic staff and representatives of international organizations, the officials said.

The country's biggest airlines include state-run Garuda Indonesia and budget carrier Lion Air.

The government has banned Indonesia's traditional annual exodus for Muslim holidays.