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ALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: Lion Air opened a new terminal at Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan on Wednesday.

Terminal B, which cost US$11 million and can hold 600 passengers, stands on a 2,400 square meter plot adjacent to Terminal A.

The old terminal hosts carriers operated by Garuda, Batavia, Mandala airlines and other small flight operators.

“The facilities in Terminal A and Terminal B are the same. The only difference is in atmosphere. Terminal A already looks old and crowded. Terminal B will reduce 40-50 percent of Terminal A passenger load. Lion Air contributes 40-50 percent of the airport’s 3,000 daily passengers,” said Mardani, airport operator Angkasa Pura I general manager.

Sepinggan International Airport said it expected a 12 percent increase in passengers from Sept. 3-17 during the peak of Idul Fitri.

Lion Air also announced additional flights for its routes from Balikpapan to Makassar, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. — JP