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