By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 1: Batik Air Malaysia has agreed to resume its Miri–Kuala Lumpur services; further details, including the commencement date, flight frequency, and schedule, will be announced by the airline in due course.
In a statement, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture and Miri MP Chiew Choon Man said this followed a formal request he made after feedback from constituents who have difficulty securing flight tickets between Miri and Kuala Lumpur, particularly on weekends, public holidays, and peak travel periods.
“Flights are often heavily booked, and airfares can become very expensive when seat availability is limited.
“In view of this, I formally wrote to the chief executive officer (CEO) of Batik Air Malaysia, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, to urge the airline to review the commercial viability of the Miri–Kuala Lumpur sector and consider returning to Miri,” he said.
During an engagement session with Batik Air, held at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture today in Putrajaya, he highlighted that current market conditions should be assessed afresh, as while the airline’s previous operations were affected by a more challenging operating environment, including volatility in fuel and aviation costs, the demand for travel between Miri and Kuala Lumpur remains strong.
He also stressed that Miri should not be assessed solely on the city’s population, as it serves a wider catchment area covering northern Sarawak and neighbouring Brunei Darussalam.
Chiew said additional capacity will give passengers more choices, improve connectivity, and ease pressure on seat availability during periods of strong demand.
At the same time, he stressed that this is important for Miri’s wider economic and tourism development, as stronger air connectivity is essential for business travel, family connections, domestic tourism, and efforts to bring more visitors into Miri and the surrounding region. — DayakDaily
