HANOI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian airline Lion Air has recently resumed service to Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City after a three-year suspension of the budget carrier's flights in the country, local newspaper Vietnam News reported Friday.

    Tourists are Lion Air's major passengers, and students and family members visiting relatives make up the rest.

    "Lion Air is the first airline in the world to fly the brand new Boeing 737-900ER, new safe and comfortable aircraft," the newspaper quoted Lion Air's senior manager of sales and marketing, Chandran Rama Muthy, as saying.