Lion Air, officially known as PT Lion Mentari Airlines, is a low-cost airline based in Indonesia. It was founded in 1999 by Rusdi and Kusnan Kirana, with operations beginning in 2000. The airline quickly grew to become Indonesia’s largest private carrier, offering affordable domestic and regional flights. Known for its aggressive fleet expansion, Lion Air became one of the world’s largest operators of the Boeing 737.Over the years, Lion Air has played a major role in improving air connectivity across Indonesia’s vast archipelago. However, the airline has also faced scrutiny over safety concerns, including several incidents and accidents. One of the most notable was the crash of Flight 610 in 2018, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which led to global attention on the aircraft model and contributed to the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX.Despite challenges, Lion Air remains a major player in Southeast Asia’s aviation market and has expanded through its subsidiaries like Batik Air and Thai Lion Air.