PAS man claims Miri-KL return airfares soar to over RM4,000 per person

MIRI (Sept 5): Return airfares between Miri and Kuala Lumpur have soared to over RM4,000 per person, according to Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Sarawak commissioner Jofri Jaraiee.

He claimed a search for tickets on the route this month started from over RM2,000 each due to the upcoming school holidays.

Jofri opined that such high domestic airfares are putting a dampener on family vacations and affecting the bottom lines of businesses in Sarawak and Sabah.

“This makes it difficult for those who need to travel for business to reach their destinations at an affordable price. In some cases, international travel may even be cheaper than domestic flights,” he pointed out in a statement today.

As fares typically increase sharply during festivals and school holidays, he said the authorities must pay serious attention to airfare pricing as the people are already under stress dealing with worsening economic conditions and the high cost of living.

He said exorbitant fares also impede the growth of domestic tourism, which the government should be actively promoting to stimulate the local economy.

Jofri suggested airlines schedule additional flights during peak periods, particularly during festivals and school holidays, to offer more options to families and business travellers.

“We urge the government and relevant parties to address this issue for the convenience of the people of Borneo, especially the residents of Sarawak and Sabah, who have no other means but to rely on air services to reach Peninsular Malaysia,” he added.