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“Airlines to avoid if possible”
Review of Lion Air


Reviewed 31 December 2024

This airline does not generally notify you of cancellations or delays. If there are other LCCs on the same route, you should choose those. The worst part is that they don't even notify the booking site, which keeps the flight running on schedule, so you may not notice until the day of the flight. The reservation system is also too stupid. The planes are in such bad condition that just getting on is unsettling. Super Air Jet and Batik Air are in the same group, so they are all terrible. It may be okay for locals, but I would never recommend this to foreigners. It is really stressful to negotiate refunds when there is a problem.

Date of travel: December 2024
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
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    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
    • Check-in and boarding
Thank Jet30440825762
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviews (2,365)
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9 - 13 of 2,365 reviews

Reviewed 17 December 2024

This was my first and last time I’ll book with LionAir. My original flight Jt 3741 was cancelled and I was moved to a flight 2 hours later, whereby that flight ended up being around 2.5 hours late. With the compound of the earlier cancelled flight and then a significant delay on the substitute flight, I missed a connecting international flight which resulted in an overnight in Denpasar. As asking for assistance or compensation from a service provider is generally a requirement by travel insurance policies, I tried to call the customer service number and after getting no response, I found the customer service desk at Makassar airport and made enquiries as to a hotel voucher or compensation for the cancellation and delay. Well it appears that ‘customer service’ is an oxymoron with this airline as nothing was offered.

On doing a bit more research, I found that JT 3741 appears to be a ghost flight, ie one that gets advertised but never operates, as its cancellation rate is pretty much 100%.

Fortunately, I have travel insurance which will hopefully cover most of the cost, but the practices of airlines and service providers like drives travel insurance policy costs up and could even place airlines like LionAir into the ‘what we don’t cover’ category on your policy!

My best suggestion, like many others on this forum, is avoid this airline at all costs!

Date of travel: November 2024
Thank V8025WJjeffreyw
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 December 2024

Attempting to travel from Bali to Sorong. Lion air flight booked with a stop in Makasar. The flight was scheduled for 7am but when we arrived at 5am the gates were closed until 5:30 and then we were told it’s probably coming at 9am. Our connection was scheduled for 10:50. We get delayed again until 10:20 as the original plane broke down and we were waiting for another one. Finally in flight, we land, taxi in and then sit for an hour. No explanation at all. I check google maps and see that we are in Borneo, not Makasa. Completely wrong airport. One of the passenger pulls it out of the smiling staff that they landed at the wrong airport and we’re going to need to take back off and go to the correct airport. Still not any explanation from the flight crew, just seatbelt sign on, prepare for takeoff.

Date of travel: December 2024
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Cleanliness
    • Food and Beverage
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
    • Check-in and boarding
Thank Adam W
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 1 December 2024

Dont go with them unless you have time and need budget travel. Be aware that they will cancel and rebook all your flights less than 24 hrs before take-off. And you will have to deal with rescheduling using their horrible customer service. If you want to have a stress-free start to your travels, choose another airline.

Date of travel: December 2024
Thank Niklas T
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 November 2024

Worst experience. Total abomination of an airway. One, every time i book a flight with them it delays by a minimum of an hour or 2. Complete waste of time. The airplane smells like oil and fuel due to the oil smell entering the cockpit somehow. Legroom is minimal with none for tall individuals, you’ll have to push against the seat infront. The whole aircraft is super tight and cramped with no space between each seat. I would never recommend this horrible airway. With the price being average youre getting below below average. Worst one i have been on. Do not book a flight with them.

Date of travel: November 2024
    • Seat comfort
    • Customer service
    • Cleanliness
    • Food and Beverage
    • Legroom
    • In-flight Entertainment
    • Value for money
    • Check-in and boarding
Thank OnAir45550817937
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.