Lion Air Group prepares 20,150 extra seats for Idul Ftri exodus

PT LION MENTARI AIRLINES (LION AIR) - JAKARTA. Lion Air Group will prepare 20,150 extra seats for the Idul Fitri exodus this year to anticipate the increased demand for domestic flights before and after the seasonal holiday, a statement issued by the group said recently.  

Airlines under Lion Air Group -- Lion Air, Batik Air and Wings Air – will operate extra flights from May 29 to Jul. 20, when many people are expected to visit their hometowns to celebrate the Idul Fitri holiday.

Of the total extra seats, low-cost carrier Lion Air would prepare 11,718 seats on 62 extra flights, said Lion Air Group spokesperson Danang Mandala Prihantoro in the statement, adding that full-service carrier Batik Air would prepare 5,840 extra seats on 35 extra flights and Wings Air would provide 2,259 extra seats on 36 extra flights.

“Lion Air Group focuses on serving popular destinations [...]. We project that this year, growth [during the Idul Fitri exodus] will be about 10 to 15 percent of the airline's regular operational capacity,” said Danang.

Lion Air will deploy 66 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, 38 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft as well as three Airbus 330-300 aircraft.

Wings Air flights will be served by 45 ATR 72-600 aircraft and 19 ATR 72-500 aircraft, while Batik Air flights will rely on its 43 Airbus 320-200CEO, eight Boeing 737-800NG and six Boeing 737-900ER.