Kotabaru, Kalsel (AntaranewsKalsel) - Kastar stopped serving Kotabaru-Surabaya route temporarily from Gusti Syamsir Alam Airport, Stagen, Kotabaru, as passangers declines.
Head of Gusti Syamsir Alam Airport Management Hariyanto in Kotabaru on Monday said, the airlines has been halted the route in the last two months.
"It was when its evarage passengers only about 20. The condition did not cover the operational cost," he said.
By operating ATR 72-500 aircraft, with a flight range of about 1.5 hours, it require high enough operational costs. To cover the costs, the number of seats occupied at least 60 percent from 72 seat available.
Other solution, according to Hariyanto, the length of the runway should be increased to a minimum of 2,000 meters in order to serve large airplanes --that operating costs will be lower than using ATR 72-500. The airport runway right now 1.650 meters.
