Batik Air to operate twice-daily Bintulu-KL flights from July 20

File photo of Batik Air at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

By DayakDaily Team

BINTULU, June 28: Batik Air will increase its Bintulu-Kuala Lumpur service to two daily flights beginning July 20, following discussions with the airline to address concerns over limited flight availability and rising airfares.

Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the additional daily service was confirmed after active communication and coordination with the airline.

“To address public concerns regarding airfare prices and flight availability, I am pleased to announce that Batik Air has confirmed it will add a new daily flight between Bintulu and Kuala Lumpur starting July 20 this year,” he said in a Facebook post today.

With the additional service, the route will operate twice daily, offering passengers greater flexibility and convenience.

Under the revised schedule, flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bintulu will depart at 10am and 2.30pm daily, while flights from Bintulu to Kuala Lumpur are scheduled to depart at 1.10pm and 5.40pm.

Tiong revealed that he had initially pushed for the addition of two daily flights following public complaints over soaring ticket prices and the recent reduction in flight frequencies.

“After negotiations, the airline decided to first implement a fixed additional daily flight with suitable capacity and time slots. If passenger demand continues to grow, the feasibility of adding another flight will be further evaluated, potentially increasing the frequency to three flights a day,” he added.

He noted that Bintulu’s continued economic growth has driven increasing demand for air travel for business, education, medical treatment and tourism.

“I have directly conveyed the growing appeals from various sectors of our society for sufficient flights and reasonable airfares to the airline, and they have responded positively,” he said.

Tiong also urged Batik Air to maintain reliable flight operations while expanding its services.

“I have urged the airline to ensure the stability of its flight services while increasing frequency, as we must avoid frequent flight cancellations or last-minute schedule adjustments that disrupt passengers’ itineraries,” he said.

He added that he had also proposed that the airline maintain reasonable airfare levels whenever market conditions permit to help ease the financial burden on travellers and prevent high ticket prices from becoming a long-term issue.

According to Tiong, improving aviation connectivity requires close cooperation between the government, airlines and relevant authorities, adding that what matters most to the public is having more flight choices and affordable fares.

He expressed confidence that the additional flights would help ease the current shortage of available seats while facilitating travel between Bintulu, Peninsular Malaysia and other domestic destinations. — DayakDaily