On 6 December 2023, Pelita Airlines faced flight cancellation due to a breach of flight protocols by passengers onboard. The cancellation stemmed from a bomb threat joke made by a passenger identified as SHW seated in 14A aboard aircraft IP 205 on the Surabaya – Jakarta route at 1.20 pm local time. Agdya Yogandari, Corporate Secretary of Pelita Air, confirmed the incident, noting that the remark was made while the aircraft was taxiing towards the Juanda Airport runway.
The passenger’s bomb joke on the Pelita Airlines flight breached aviation security protocols. Airport security personnel and officials promptly conducted checks to ensure the safety of all passengers, flight crew, and baggage.
Following the all-passenger drop-off, the Pelita Airlines aircraft proceeded to an isolated section of Juanda Airport. @GerryS shared a thread on X detailing this unexpected occurrence, garnering the attention of numerous Indonesian netizens with a readership of 2.9 million.
The thread post mentioned that the Pelita Airlines flight scheduled for departure from Juanda Airport in Surabaya was abruptly redirected to a remote location. Additionally, @GerryS included a flight radar screenshot displaying the aircraft’s U-turn on the runway.
BREAKING: Pelita Air IP205 PKPWD, SUB-CGK, bomb threat prior to take off, aircraft moved to remote area.
Semoga bukan bom beneran! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/i6LS2XEZIf
— Gerry Soejatman (@GerryS) December 6, 2023
Upon learning that the incident stemmed from a passenger’s bomb-related joke, numerous Indonesian netizens expressed strong indignation. According to Indonesian law, such actions can lead to legal consequences under criminal law, prompting significant outrage among the public. As per Article 437 of Law no. 1 of 2009 regarding Aviation:
- Paragraph 1: Spreading false information jeopardizing aviation safety can lead to a maximum imprisonment of 1 year.
- Paragraph 2: Disseminating false information leading to accidents or property damage may result in imprisonment of up to 8 years.
- Paragraph 3: Circulating false information resulting in someone’s death can lead to imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years.
