The Indonesian Transportation Ministry has launched an investigation into Lion Air (JT, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) for repeated safety issues, The Jakarta Post has reported.
"After we complete [assessing] all of the data, we will decide on further action or penalties to prevent incidents or accidents from taking place,” the director of ministries department for aircraft worthiness and operations, Avirianto, said.
The airline has acknowledged that the investigation is ongoing and said in a statement that it complies with all regulations.
The ministry launched the investigation after four separate incidents related to Lion Air were reported in February this year, including two cases of technical issues resulting in a return to the departure airport, one runway overrun at Pontianak during landing in rainy conditions, and one case of a scorpion found in the cabin.
The investigation does not directly relate to the October 2018 crash of a B737-8 operating as flight JT610 from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta to Pangkalpinang. All 189 passengers and crew on board died in the crash which occurred shortly after take-off and was the first, and so far the only, B737 MAX hull loss.
In June 2018, the European Union removed all Indonesian airlines, including Lion Air, from its list of carriers banned from operating to the EU due to safety concerns.
