Haze: Kerteh Airport shut down, again

The Kerteh Airport which was opened to all flights on Friday after it was closed on Thursday, is closed again today for all flights when visibility deteriorated due to the haze.

Petronas East Coast Region communications and Media Relations manager Zamri Mohamad said the visibility rate was 200 metres at 7 am and no take offs and landings were allowed.

"The operation at this airport resumed as normal when the visibility exceeded 1,000 metres on Friday and Saturday. The visibility recorded early morning yesterday was 3,000 metres.

"However, we have to shut down the airport again today when the visibility dropped to 200 metres. This is very dangerous for take off and landing," he told Bernama here, today.

He said Petronas always monitored the situation and abided by the advice of the Department of Civil Aviation and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Since Monday, 11 helicopter flights ferrying off-shore crew of oil and gas companies in the district were affected daily involving a change of 300 crew, and the operations of two airlines, namely, Malindo Air and Firefly were also forced to be rerouted to airports in Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, only conditional flights were allowed when the visibility was at 1,000 metres.

Meawhile, in KUALA NERUS, one flight by Firefly had to be cancelled at the Sultan Mahmud Airport (LTSM) and five Malindo Air and Firefly flights to the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang had to be delayed to 12 noon today.

LTSM manager, Dr Ahmad Ramli Mahmood said, nevertheless, the operation at LTSM was still going on smoothly.

"As of this afternoon the visibility at LTSM was at 1,500 metres and take offs and landings were still viable except for one flight which was cancelled and five others were postponed.

"The wind direction due to the geographical position of LTSM near the sea results in still good visibility. Nevertheless, we are always monitoring the situation every hour," he told Bernama here, today.