Airlines add more flights to Sarawak routes

KUCHING: Sarawak will see more flights on several key routes in the coming months, alongside the return of three AirAsia services from late October.

Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, said AirAsia will resume the Kuching-Kota Bharu service on October 27, followed by Bintulu-Kota Kinabalu on November 1 and Sibu-Kota Kinabalu on November 2.

Lee welcomed the additional capacity, saying sufficient flight services are particularly important during school holidays and festive seasons when travel demand increases.

“For Sarawak, adequate flight capacity is very important, especially during school holidays and festive seasons when demand increases significantly.

“We welcome the resumption of routes and additional frequencies, which will provide passengers with more travel options,” he said in a statement today.

The airline will also increase frequencies on several routes from November, including Kuala Lumpur-Kuching, which will rise from 63 to 77 flights per week.

Additional frequencies are also planned for services involving Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Penang, Johor Bahru and Pontianak.

The AirAsia plans were conveyed by its Sarawak Affairs’ Director, Hamdan Mohamad, during a meeting with Lee on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) informed Lee in a separate briefing that Malaysia Airlines plans to add a combined 11 weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Miri, Sibu and Bintulu under its 2027 schedule.

This will increase the total number of weekly flights across the four routes from 86 to 97.

Firefly, which is also part of MAG, plans to increase its Kuala Lumpur-Kuching service to 14 flights per week from February next year.

Lee said the ministry would continue engaging airlines on flight capacity and connectivity to ensure sufficient air services to, from and within Sarawak, particularly during periods of high passenger demand.