Batik Air Confirms 'No Flights Designated for Afghanistan'
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19 August 2021 12:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lion Air Group corporate communications Mandala Prihantoro on Thursday made it clear that there are currently no flights by Batik Air assigned to evacuate Indonesian citizens residing in Afghanistan.
The statement was issued after rumors in social media suggest the airliner was heading to Kabul airport after a screenshot of an Airbus A320 Neo aircraft owned by the carrier is made to appear in a commercial flight app headed to the country currently ruled by the Taliban.
“Regarding that matter, Batik Air is not flying to Afghanistan,” said Danang on Thursday, August 19.
Tempo also reached Indonesian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah to confirm the validity of the rumor and implied that the safety of Indonesians in conflict-stricken regions is important but insisted that such evacuation attempts would be done after thorough calculations.
Such evacuation of Indonesians from Afghanistan “will surely have to be planned thoroughly,” Taufik confirmed in a text message to Tempo.
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