Visibility only 50 meters, flights disrupted in Syamsudin Noor Airport

A motorcyclist passes through beside the fire that is burning the peatland on Jalan Tegal Arum in the surrounding area of Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Friday (13/9/2019). Hot weather and strong wind make the fire to quickly spred until firefighters have difficulties to put out the fire. (ANTARA PHOTO/Bayu Pratama S/hp)

Not only takeoff from Syamsudin Noor were disrupted, but a number of flight schedule to South Kalimantan were delayed, even had to return to the airport of origin,

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Syamsudin Noor Airport area covered by smog. (antara/photo/firman)

Thick smog in the last few days have disrupted flights schedule in Syamsudin Noor Banjarmasin Airport. Even on Saturday (14/9), visibility was only 50 meters.

"Today quite a lot of people were delayed, because visibility is only 50 meters," said the Syamsudin Noor Airport GM Indah Preastuty here, Saturday.

Base on the data received by the airport related to haze, the lowest visibility occured at 07.44 a.m. Then at 08.30 a.m. downed to 100 meters, while previously at 07.10 a.m. was 300 meters and 200 meters at 07.30 a.m.

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As is known, the lowest visibility for a pilot to take off should be 500-600 meter, while for landing must be above 800 meters.

"Not only takeoff from Syamsudin Noor were disrupted, but a number of flight schedule to South Kalimantan were delayed, even had to return to the airport of origin," Indah told.

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For the situation caused by haze as a result of land fire, she asked for apologies and hope passengers to understand. "We certainly try our best to carry out the airport operation in mintaining the safety, security, and comfort of airport service users," she remarked.

The worst smog in Saturday one of which caused by land fire on Jalan Tegal Arum, which was not far from the airport. It was severely burned since Friday. Even when the news was published, hotspots still appeared on the former burnt land and the join officers kept working to wetting the land so the fire would not re-ignite in the peatland.