KUCHING, Dec 16: MASwings, the regional airline for Sabah and Sarawak, will increase its flight frequency from Miri to Lawas and Limbang, effective Dec 17.
This move comes following a recent announcement by the government to undertake a rationalisation plan for Rural Air Services (RAS) in Sabah and Sarawak.
MASwings chief operating officer Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar said in a statement that the rationalisation plan involved the review of RAS objectives among other major matters to meet current local and business needs.
As a result, MASwings will increase its current Public Service Obligation (PSO) weekly scheduled flights between Miri to Lawas and Miri to Limbang.
The airline will also be operating a combination of aircraft types from Kuching to Mukah with 1x daily (7x weekly) services on ATR72-500 and 2x daily (14x weekly) on DHC6-400.
As for Miri-Lawas-Miri, it will operate a DHC6-400 from 5x daily (35x weekly) to 7x daily (44x weekly).
Meanwhile, the Miri-Limbang-Miri sector will see an increase from 3x daily (21x weekly) to 4x daily (28x weekly) via ATR72-500.
“MASwings, being the ‘Pulse of Borneo’, remains committed to delivering safe, reliable and efficient rural air services to the region, especially into the remote areas of Sarawak and Sabah.
“The increased frequencies of these routes will further improve air connectivity and meet the boom in demand for travel from Lawas and Limbang by both the local and business communities, especially after the travel restrictions were uplifted,” Nasaruddin said in a statement.
He also believed the recent upgrade of the new Mukah Airport will allow greater passenger volume commuting into and out of Mukah which would further strengthen the district’s position as a contributor to Sarawak’s economic development. — DayakDaily
