Haze returns, flights disrupted

Haze returns, flights disrupted

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Thick haze returned to
Banjarmasin on Sunday despite several days of rain, causing a
two-hour delay in flights to and from Syamsuddin Noor airport
here.

Mandala airlines rescheduled its first flight heading to
Surabaya from 7:30 a.m. local time to 9 a.m. as visibility was
down to 50 meters.

The Boeing 737 aircraft, which was carrying 400 passengers,
took off after visibility improved to over 500 meters.

The remaining flights of the day were also delayed in a domino
effect from the morning's delay.

Aircraft operated by Bouraq airlines and state-owned Merpati
also had to wait for over two hours before being allowed to take
off.

Local authorities said the haze was the result of fires on
peatland, which are notoriously difficult to extinguish. --
Antara