KUCHING: Sarawak's own airline AirBorneo took to the skies for its inaugural flights on Friday (Jan 2) after completing the acquisition of MASwings Sdn Bhd the previous day.
The flights to Mukah and Tanjung Manis took off from Kuching International Airport at 8.25am and 8.45am with 54 and 15 passengers respectively, in ATR72-500 and Twin Otter aircraft bearing the AirBorneo livery.
AirBorneo also unveiled its new cabin crew uniforms, complemented by a scarf featuring design elements inspired by Sarawak's traditional keringkam embroidery.
State Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said the Sarawak government's acquisition of MASwings through AirBorneo was a significant step towards strengthening air connectivity and supporting the state's long-term economic development.
"For Sarawak, air connectivity is not a luxury, it is a necessity. As a geographically dispersed state, aviation plays a vital role in connecting our rural and remote communities, supporting trade and tourism, enabling access to education and healthcare and facilitating business and investment.
"Our decision to establish AirBorneo reflects a strategic approach to aviation as one of the key enablers of development," he told a press conference after launching the inaugural flights.
Lee said AirBorneo was designed with a dual mandate to operate as a commercial airline while fulfilling an essential public service role in connecting rural and remote communities.
As such, he said the airline will continue to operate rural air services across Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan during the transition period before gradually expanding to selected regional routes.
"This expansion will be guided by aircraft availability, market demand, route sustainability and applicable bilateral air service agreements.
"This measured approach ensures prudent growth and long-term viability," he said.
Lee said it was premature to say what aircraft AirBorneo will acquire for its future regional operations.
"We need to study the next phase of turning it into a regional airline, where we also need to comply with regulatory measures and apply for a change in our air operating licence to include regional services.
"We will have a professional team to look into the type of aircraft and so on. Give us some time, we will look into it," he added.
AirBorneo assumed full legal and operational responsibility for MASwings effective Thursday (Jan 1).
The acquisition was completed following the signing of a sale and purchase agreement between MASwings' parent company Malaysia Aviation Group and the Sarawak government on Feb 12 last year.
As AirBorneo rolls out its new brand identity in stages, physical MASwings branding across airports, aircraft livery, uniforms and operational equipment will be progressively removed over the next six months.
