Constitutional Court Warns Against Blame-Shifting Over Flight Delays

The Constitutional Court (MK) has reminded all stakeholders in the aviation sector not to engage in mutual blame-shifting regarding flight delays, as passengers are always the party most harmed regardless of the cause. The message was delivered by Chief Justice Suhartoyo during a hearing on the judicial review of Articles 146, 170, and 176 of the Aviation Law at the MK Building in Jakarta on Monday (20/7).

According to Suhartoyo, the court noted the explanation from the Secretary General of the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA), Bayu Sutanto, who stated that the causes of flight delays are highly complex and not attributable to a single factor. “The important point is that the Secretary General mentioned the causes of delays are complicated and not just one factor. If everyone shifts blame like that, the ultimate victims are the passengers. That is what we will examine from the perspective of norm consistency,” Suhartoyo said.

After hearing testimony from the relevant parties, the court decided to adjourn the session. The MK requires additional written statements from the airline association and will summon several national carriers, including Garuda Indonesia, Pelita Air, and Lion Air. The hearing was postponed until Monday, 27 July 2026, with the agenda of hearing further testimony from these parties. The court also temporarily deferred hearing from the Indonesian Pilots Association, while the Indonesian Flight Attendants Association will be scheduled for a subsequent session.