Batik Air Pilot Falls Asleep During Flight, BPKN: Consumer Rights Injured
Batik Air plane. (Special)
- Chairman of the Advocacy Commission of the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), Fitrah Bukhari spoke about the Batik Air pilot's sleeping case which has been widely discussed by the public recently. According to Fitrah, the case of the Batik Air pilot falling asleep violated consumer rights.
"153 Air Kendari Jakarta batik consumers with flight number ID 6723 had their rights as consumers violated in the form of inaccurate arrival times," said Fitrah in his statement to journalists, Monday (11/3/2024).
According to Fitrah, the arrival time stated on the ticket and the advertisement shown when the consumer was going to buy the ticket, did not match what was promised.
"The airline promised that the travel time from Ken from Jakarta would be 2 hours 40 minutes, but because the pilot and co-pilot fell asleep together in the cockpit and caused the plane to go off course, the promised arrival time did not materialize," explained Fitrah.
Fitrah said that the travel time actually exceeded the promised 21 minutes. According to him, the plane was left out of control because the pilot and co-pilot fell asleep for 28 minutes.
"The plane was left out of control because they fell asleep for 28 minutes, in the end the travel time became 3 hours 1 minute, meaning that Batik Air ID 6723 experienced a delay in arrival of 21 minutes from the time promised in the plane ticket," explained Fitrah.
Regarding safety, continued Fitrah, in the world of aviation safety has not yet been realized but is still in the awareness stage.
"In order to prevent injury to consumer rights as has been stated, the human factor in this case must be improved in discipline in order to maintain a balance between consumer rights and the responsibilities of business actors as airlines," said Fitrah.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of BPKN, Mufti Mubarok encouraged regulators and the airline Batik Air to seriously investigate security procedures, comfort and safety of aviation consumers.
"Moreover, in the near future, we will have a homecoming and return flow which is part of the Eid al-Fitr series. This must be taken seriously by Batik Air so that it can increase public trust again," said Mufti.
However, said Mufti, the current regulations state that consumers only get compensation if their flight is delayed.
"With this case, BPKN encourages regulators to review the regulations regarding providing compensation for consumers whose travel time does not match what was promised," concluded Mufti.
Apart from the time not being as promised, the actions of the pilot and co-pilot could endanger consumer safety. In fact, one of the main rights of consumers according to Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection is security, comfort and safety in using services.
Pilot Batik Air Tertidur Saat Penerbangan, BPKN: Hak Konsumen Tercederai
Pesawat Batik Air. (Istimewa)
- Ketua Komisi Advokasi Badan Perlindungan Konsumen Nasional (BPKN), Fitrah Bukhari angkat bicara soal kasus tertidurnya pilot Batik Air yang ramai dibicarakan publik belakangan ini. Menurut Fitrah, kasus tertidurnya pilot Batik Air tersebut mencederai hak konsumen.
"153 konsumen batik Air Kendari Jakarta dengan nomor penerbangan ID 6723 tercederai haknya selaku konsumen berupa ketidaktepatan waktu ketibaan," ujar Fitrah dalam keterangannya kepada wartawan, Senin (11/3/2024).
Menurut Fitrah, waktu ketibaan yang tertera di dalam tiket maupun iklan yang ditayangkan saat konsumen akan membeli tiket, tidak sesuai yang dijanjikan.
"Pihak maskapai menjanjikan waktu tempuh Kendari Jakarta ditempuh selama 2 jam 40 menit, tetapi dikarenakan pilot dan kopilot sempat tertidur bersama di kokpit dan mengakibatkan pesawat keluar jalur yang semestinya, waktu ketibaan yang dijanjikan menjadi tidak terwujud," jelas Fitrah.
Fitrah mengatakan, waktu tempuh yang terjadi justru melewati 21 menit dari yang dijanjikan. Menurut dia, arena pesawat dibiarkan di luar kendali karena pilot dan kopilot tertidur selama 28 menit.
"Arena pesawat dibiarkan di luar kendali karena mereka tertidur selama 28 menit, akhirnya waktu tempuh menjadi 3 jam 1 menit, artinya batik air ID 6723 mengalami keterlambatan ketibaan 21 menit dari waktu yang dijanjikan dalam tiket pesawat," jelas Fitrah.
Berkaitan dengan keselamatan, lanjut Fitrah, dalam dunia penerbangan masih belum terwujud safety tetapi masih dalam tahap awareness.
"Guna mencegah terjadinya cederanya hak konsumen sebagaimana yang telah disampaikan, faktor manusia dalam kasus ini harus ditingkatkan kedisiplinannya agar tetap menjaga keseimbangan antara hak konsumen dan tanggung jawab pelaku usaha selaku maskapai" tutur Fitrah.
Sementara itu, Ketua BPKN, Mufti Mubarok mendorong regulator dan maskapai Batik Air untuk menginvestigasi secara serius terkait prosedur keamanan, kenyamanan, dan keselamatan konsumen penerbangan.
"Apalagi dalam waktu dekat, kita akan menjalani arus mudik dan balik yang merupakan rangkaian Idulfitri. Hal ini harus diseriusi bagi Batik Air agar dapat meningkatkan kepercayaan publik kembali," tegas Mufti.
Hanya saja, kata Mufti, aturan yang berlaku saat ini menyebutkan konsumen hanya mendapatkan ganti rugi jika penerbangan delay keberangkatan.
"Dengan kasus ini BPKN mendorong regulator untuk mengkaji aturan terkait pemberian ganti rugi bagi konsumen yang waktu tempuhnya tidak sesuai dengan yang dijanjikan," pungkas Mufti.
Selain waktunya tidak sesuai dengan yang dijanjikan, tindakan pilot dan kopilot tersebut dapat membahayakan keselamatan konsumen. Padahal salah satu hak utama konsumen menurut UU Nomor 8 Tahun 1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen adalah keamanan, kenyamanan dan keselamatan dalam menggunakan jasa.