Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - Speaker of South Kalimantan Legislative Council (DPRD) H Supian HK welcomed a plan to open Banjarmasin-Kuala Lumpur-Kuching Malaysia direct flight from Syamsudin Noor International Airport.
"We delightly welcome if the plan for a flight from Syamsudin Noor Airport to Malaysia to be realized by AirAsia, so that as an international airport it is not just a name but becomes a reality," he said, when confirmed here on Saturday.
Today, Supian said, Syamsudin Noor Airport only serves international flights routinely during the Hajj season.
He notices that international flights in Syamsudin Noor Airport are quite potential because South Kalimantan neighbors Central Kalimantan whose citizens often travel abroad.
Related news: Syamsudin Noor regains international airport status
He mentioned that many "Urang" (people of) Banjar from South and Central Kalimantan who migrated to neighboring Malaysia wanted to return home or visit family in their hometowns.
General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura Khairul Assidiqi also acknowledged that South Kalimantan has a portfolio of international flight routes and there is quite a lot of connectivity for South Kalimantan residents abroad, such as Saudi Arabia and Australia.
Besides, the DPRD chairperson said, the province has abundant natural resources that it has the opportunity to attract investors from abroad.
"We expect international flights to be realized soon, and related parties must prepare as well as possibe to create comfort both for the airlines as air transport providers and for users," Supian expounded.
Related news: Syamsudin Noor Airport explores international flight routes
Previously, Deputy Governor of South Kalimantan Hasnuryadi Sulaiman had received AirAsia management. He was accompanied by Governor's Expert Staff for Government, Legal, and Politics Adi Santoso, Assistant for General Administration H Ahmad Bagiawan, and Governor's Expert Staff Tasriq Usman.
AirAsia management had an audience to explore the plan to open direct flight Banjarmasin-Kuala Lumpur-Kuching.
Malaysia AirAsia Network Planning Manager Denis Jinol said based on the data there is an opportunity for scheduled flights from Kuala Lumpur and Kuching to Banjarmasin.
Among the opportunitie can be seen from the data of very large tourists visits when attending the Guru Sekumpul haul every year.
“But we are still in the assessment stage,” said Denis Jinol.
Head of Network Airport Authority Edwin added that the purpose of the team was to study marketing for the plan to open a flight route from Malaysia to Banjarmasin.
For this purpose, they need information from the provincial government of South Kalimantan as a consideration to measure the feasibility of the plan.
Denis and Edwin came with Eva Hew (Executif Marketing AirAsia), Gusti Made (Air Side Operation Dept. Head PT Angkasa Pura), Ari Nur (Pgs Aeronautika Dept. Head PT Angkasa Pura).
Read also: South Kalimantan records natural rubber export increase in March-April 2025
Read also: South Kalimantan records USD 679 million in craft export
