POSO-MAKASSAR AIR LINK OPENED

Jakarta Forum - Palu, C Sulawesi, The Central Sulawesi district town of Poso and South Sulawesi provincial capital city of Makassar have been connected by a flight since early this week.

The inauguration of the new air link was marked by a maiden flight of CASA 212-200 aircraft from Poso to Makassar on Monday, Head of the Poso regency transportation office, Husni Kasim, said here Tuesday.

The maiden flight was inaugurated by Head of Poso district Piet Ingkiriwan at Kasiguncu airport here, he said.

The CASA 212-200 aircraft belonging to the Sabang-Merauke Air Center could carry 20 passengers in a single flight, Kasim said.

The Poso-Makassar flight service was welcomed by local government officials, businessmen and residents of Central Sulawesi because it would help boost the province`s economy and tourism industry, he said.

Before the opening of this air link, domestic and foreign tourists should take buses from Makassar or ships from Gorontalo to Central Sulawesi, he said.

"With this flight, the tourism sector can be the main a pillar of Poso regency`s economic development," Kasim said.

Poso regency`s Kasiguncu airport has a 1,617-meter long and 30-meter wide runway.

In the past, Poso was hard hit by a series of sectarian conflicts but over the past few years, the situation has relatively been secured and peaceful.

Source: Antara News