TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lion Air flight number JT-106, which was carrying Umrah pilgrims from Surabaya to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, diverted its landing to Kualanamu Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.

“This was done due to a change in the official notification time (NOTAM) from the authorities in Sri Lanka,” the airline’s spokesperson Danang Mandala Prihantoro said in an official statement in Medan, on Monday, March 11.

The NOTAM, or notice to airmen, announced the temporary closure of Sri Lankan airspace. Danang said diverting landings to alternate airports was a standard operational procedure to ensure flight safety.

“The landing diversion to Kualanamu International Airport was not caused by any technical problem with the aircraft,” stressed Danang.

Before landing at Kualanamu International Airport, he said that the plane stopped or circled around the airspace of Binjai City, North Sumatra in a bid to reduce the weight of the aircraft.

Following the reopening of the Colombo airport in Sri Lanka, and after it was deemed safe to board, the plane was scheduled to continue its flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“All the procedures taken demonstrate Lion Air's commitment to maintaining the safety of its passengers and crew,” said Danang.

ANTARA

Editor's Choice: The Chronology of Indonesia's Batik Air Pilots Mid-flight Snooze

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News