YLKI: There Are Still Airplanes That "force" Passengers, Only Garuda Is Obedient

Illustrated. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many public transportation operators violated regulations to limit the maximum number of passengers. One of them is the airplane transportation mode.

Chairman of the YLKI Daily Executive, Tulus Abadi, said there are still airlines that still fill up to 100 percent of the availability of seats. In fact, there are clear rules regarding this matter.

"We also found that certain airline violations were 100 percent filled but there were no sanctions from the regulator. Because the rules are only 70 percent (filled) but 100 percent filled," he said in a virtual discussion, Monday, December 21.

However, said Tulus, Garuda Indonesia maspakai still adhere to the passenger restriction up to a maximum of 62 percent. Upon these findings, YLKI immediately acted to report directly to the president director of the airline concerned.

After the report was received, said Tulus, the airline management also acknowledged the violation. Given the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very difficult and has an impact on the aviation sector.

Not only for air transportation, said Tulus, YLKI also received similar reports from train passengers. According to him, from the reports received, the train travel organizers did not comply with the limit of the maximum number of passengers in one carriage.

"I get complaints from consumers about a certain series of 100 percent contents," he explained.

Because of this, Tulus asked the government to be alert and strict in overseeing the implementation of restrictions on the number of public transportation passengers ahead of the 2020 Christmas and New Year 2021 (Nataru) holidays. If not, he said, there is a potential for cases to increase and public transportation not to become a new cluster.

However, Tulus admitted that in terms of implementing health protocols such as rapid tests, use of masks, washing hands, in all types of public transportation, until now it has gone very well.

"The air transportation sector is much more patent in implementing health protocols starting at the airport, such as the departure for arrival on planes, also trains and buses which have also been good," he said.