Minister: ‘Be patient, don’t expect AirBorneo to immediately operate like MAS, S’pore Airlines’

Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah

By DayakDaily Team

MIRI, July 7: Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has called on the public to be patient and give AirBorneo time to reach a more mature stage of operations as the airline was just launched in January this year.

Speaking to reporters following the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH) 2026 at the Eastwood Country Club in Miri today, he said AirBorneo’s current operations cannot be compared with established carriers such as Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Singapore Airlines.

“Please be patient. Air Borneo was only launched in January. We still have a limited number of aircraft, so don’t expect Air Borneo to immediately operate like Singapore Airlines or MAS.

“Today marks the first announcement regarding fares for flights from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur. We need to give Air Borneo time to grow,” he said in a TVS report.

He added that Air Borneo is currently constrained by its limited fleet, and that building a comprehensive flight network and offering competitive fares will require a gradual process.

Commenting on how long it would take for Air Borneo to achieve more stable operations, Abdul Karim said the aviation industry is highly complex and requires careful planning.

He added that procuring aircraft involves numerous procedures, including technical requirements, safety regulations, and operational preparations before they can be deployed.

Previously, AirBorneo announced promotional one-way fares from RM375 for the Kuching–Kuala Lumpur route under its Sarawakku Sayang Fare campaign.

The promotion sparked discussion among consumers, with some saying the fare remained higher than their expectations for an affordable airfare. — DayakDaily