Video shared on social media initially shows the pilot, who has only been identified by the initials AG, speaking to two hotel employees at the front desk of the La Lisa Hotel in Surabaya, Indonesia.
After speaking to the pair for several seconds, he walks behind the desk, stretching his arms out so that one of the employees is able to inspect his shirt. As the individual looks at the left side of the garment, the pilot smacks the employee in the face with his left hand.
The pilot hits the worker three more times, with the final blow connecting after the second employee turns his attention to his co-worker and the fuming pilot. It's unclear why the fellow employee didn't react sooner. The pilot is eventually pulled away from the scene by a fourth individual.
A statement recently released by the airline indicates that the pilot was suspended following the late March incident.
"Currently Lion Air is gathering data and other information needed for an investigation," Danang Mandala Prihantoro, spokesperson for Lion Air, told AFP. "If the pilot is found guilty after the investigation, Lion Air will apply firm sanctions by dismissing him from the company."
Local media report that police officials are still investigating the matter, and that the hotel management is awaiting a verdict from the airline so that it can consider the matter resolved. The hotel submitted a letter of reprimand to the airline, Kumparan News reported.