YANGON International Airport unveiled an extended runway earlier this month that has been designed to handle bigger aircraft, said an official from the Department of Civil Aviation under the Ministry of Transport.

The 200-foot-wide runway, put into service on July 10, has been extended from 8100 feet (2468 metres) to 11,200 feet (3413 metres) in length.

“The old runway was designed to handle Airbus 300-600, Airbus 319-320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. Boeing 747s could also land, but only at reduced cargo weights,” said the official.

“With the extended runway we can now land fully loaded 747s.”

The expansion work, which started more than two decades ago, was carried out by the Department of Civil Aviation in cooperation with Asia World Company.

The department official said that between 500 and 600 aircraft carrying emergency supplies for cyclone victims had landed at Yangon International Airport between May 6 and mid-July.