North Barito mulls building airport

MUARA TEWEH, Central Kalimantan: North Barito regency is exploring the possibility of building a new airport to accommodate larger aircraft than possible at the current airport, an official said on Thursday in Muara Teweh, the capital of North Barito regency.

North Barito Regent Achmad Yuliansyah said the plan was aimed at anticipating higher flight frequency to the regency.

The old airport, Beringin, is located on Jl. Pendreh. Its runway is 950 meters long and can only accommodate small aircraft. It cannot be further developed as it is in the middle of the city and surrounded by residential areas.

Achmad said a feasibility study for the new airport was under way.

He said a feasibility study would take one to five years.

The new airport will be located along the Muara Teweh- Banjarmasin state highway.

Dirgantara Air Service (DAS) flies 9-seater BN-2A aircraft out of Beringin Airport four times weekly on the Teweh-Palangka Raya route in Central Kalimantan.

DAS intends to open a new route, the Muara Teweh-Banjarmasin route, using 21-seater CN-212 aircraft in the early stages. -- Antara