Startling! Ombudsman Reveals Findings, Apparently Aircraft Crews Don't Have To PCR Before Flying

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ombudsman revealed that the mandatory PCR test does not apply equally to aircraft transportation modes. This is in response to the government's policy of requiring PCR tests for domestic long-distance travelers via aircraft.

RI Ombudsman member Robert Na Endi Jaweng said that his party found that the flight crew did not undergo a PCR test but only an antigen test before departure.

He said the findings were obtained in North Sumatra Province but did not explain what airline was meant.

"Our findings show no (the flight crew did not test PCR, ed). It turns out that they are only antigens," said Robert in an online discussion, Saturday, October 30.

The existence of these findings made the Ombudsman ask whether the policy regarding the PCR test for aircraft transportation modes is only specifically for passengers.

Robert later revealed that the flight crew were only supervised by the Port Health Office (KKP) in their respective areas.

"This PCR rule needs to be looked at further, does this apply to flight crews too? Now, this must be answered how to check," he said.

"It turns out that the checking is only at the local KKP. This is a valid finding, we can prove it with the results of recording observations and data," added Robert.

Furthermore, he said that the PCR test was not carried out for the crew of this airline because the company was unwilling to pay more. Robert did not go into details, but at least two airlines enforce antigen tests for flight crews.

"Perhaps airlines don't want to pay large amounts of money to their crews, so that the crew only has antigens. So far, what two airlines have been able to prove, I don't like to mention their names. But that's the fact," he concluded.