PETALING JAYA: The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) is monitoring recent flight delays, cancellations and schedule changes affecting AirBorneo services across Sabah and Sarawak, reminding the airline to uphold consumer rights under the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC).
CAAM said while safety must remain the highest priority in flight operations, affected passengers must also be treated fairly and in accordance with consumer protection requirements.
"AirBorneo is reminded to take all reasonable measures to minimise inconvenience to affected consumers and to ensure compliance with its obligations under the MACPC while maintaining the highest standards of operational safety," it said in a statement on Wednesday (June 10).
CAAM said airlines are required to provide timely, accurate and updated information regarding any flight delay, cancellation or schedule change, including the reasons for the disruption and the options available to affected consumers.
"Depending on the nature and duration of the disruption, passengers may also be entitled to care and assistance, including meals, communication facilities, accommodation, transportation, re-routing to their final destination, or refunds, subject to the applicable provisions under the MACPC," it said.
The regulator advised affected consumers to first seek a resolution directly with AirBorneo through the airline's official customer service channels before lodging complaints with CAAM if the matter remains unresolved.
The reminder comes after AirBorneo warned passengers to expect further delays, cancellations and schedule changes over the coming days as it continues to manage operational disruptions affecting flights across Sabah and Sarawak since Friday (June 5).
In a statement issued earlier, the airline attributed the disruptions to unscheduled technical rectification work on several aircraft, ongoing scheduled maintenance, as well as operational and crew duty requirements.
AirBorneo said aircraft requiring technical attention had been withdrawn from service as a precaution until engineers were satisfied they were fit to fly, stressing that safety remained its top priority.
The airline also said several aircraft were undergoing maintenance and technical rectification concurrently, resulting in temporary constraints on its operating fleet and affecting its ability to maintain normal schedules.
