TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry’s Director-General of Air Transport, Novie Riyanto, said his side received information that three airlines allegedly violated the physical distancing rules on passengers. One of the reports was conveyed by the Kuala Namu Region II Airport Authority, in Medan.

“Based on the report of supervision result, three airlines did not apply the physical distancing rules,” said Novie in a press conference on Friday, September 25.

The ministry, Novie added, had prepared strict sanctions in response to the violation as noted in the ministerial regulation or Permenhub No. 56 of 2020 in conjunction with Permenhub No. 78 of 2018 on the administrative sanction in the aviation sector.

The regulation stipulates that airlines are obliged to abide by the seating arrangement based on the passengers’ characteristics with a maximum of 70 percent load factor.

Novie said the policy proved that the Transportation Ministry continued efforts in breaking the chain of Covid-19 transmission. People violating the rules would face strict sanctions, he added.

Before Permenhub No. 56/2020 imposed, the Director-General went on, the Transportation Ministry issued a warning letter and revoked the permit of flight routes to airlines neglecting the limit of passengers’ capacity on board.

Read: Transportation Minister Claims Aviation Industry Yet to Find COVID-19 Case

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