IPOH, Dec 17 — The sinkholes on the runway at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport — the main reason why Flying Fox Airlines was not allowed to operate its Boeing 737 aircraft — are not a new phenomenon.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said the sinkholes had been there for a long time but had never been deemed unsafe.
“Sinkholes are common in areas near limestone hills and Ipoh is no exception,” he told The Malay Mail yesterday.
“However, some sinkholes can be dangerous. So it’s best to get the experts to confirm the matter.”
Aziz refuted allegations that the sinkholes were caused by renovation at the airport earlier this year to accommodate large aircraft like the Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320.
He said the RM42 million renovation included a 200m extension of the 1,789m runway and the upgrading of the terminal.
“The airport was re-opened in May after the completion of the renovation.
“Flying Fox was granted approval to operate there since it was supposed to accommodate big aircraft,” he said.
However, Malaysian Airport Holdings Berhad, which carried out inspections at the airport in October, was unhappy with the condition and decided to put the plan on hold for safety reasons.
Experts were called in to look into the matter.
“We needed to comply with guidelines before approval could be granted for big flights to operate at the airport. A study on the sinkholes was one of the requirements,” Aziz said.
“Although there was nothing seriously dangerous with the runway, extra precautionary measures should be taken. The opinions of the experts must be considered to ensure safety.
“MAHB is finalising arrangements with a private geology consultancy firm to look into the soil condition. They are expected to start work in January and the study will take up to six months.”
He said follow-up plans would be drawn up after the study was completed.
The airport remains safe for smaller aircraft, such as ATRs which are being used by Firefly to operate its Ipoh-Singapore route.
“The airport will be temporarily closed to big aircraft until a solution is found,” Aziz said.
