By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 12: Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has stepped in to defend AirBorneo amid rising public frustration over the airline’s ticket prices, stressing that the airline must first be given room to stabilise its operations.
He explained that aviation pricing cannot be viewed in isolation, as fare levels must allow the airline to operate sustainably without undercutting existing carriers.
“If we bring down the price right up to the minimum until AirBorneo sik terkaber (cannot sustain operations), there’s no point. There has to be a balance.
“If we lower the price too much until other airlines leave and no longer want to come to Sarawak because everyone chooses AirBorneo, then the ones who will suffer will be us,” he told reporters during a press conference held at Baitul Makmur 2 today.
Abdul Karim further acknowledged public comments on social media complaining that flights such as Sibu–Kota Kinabalu or Sibu–Kuching costing RM200-plus are “too high”, but stressed that the idea of an “ideal price” is subjective.
“Is it RM100? RM200? RM250? It depends. Even when you travel by bus—from Kuching to Miri—how much do you pay? For a half-hour flight, of course you pay a bit more.
“To some, RM200-plus might be okay. To others, it might not. For the tauke-tauke (businessmen), RM250 is peanuts. But for farmers, maybe it feels expensive,” he pointed out.
He also noted that many Sarawakians often choose to drive long distances and still incur fuel costs.
“If you drive yourself to Kuching, maybe you pay RM50 for petrol, but you also have to drive for five hours,” he said.
Urging the public not to jump to conclusions, Abdul Karim said pricing will eventually adjust as operations normalise.
“Wait first. Wait for the system to settle, the planes to be there. After a while, the price will adjust by itself,” he emphasised.
On Dec 10, AirBorneo launched its official website, www.airborneo.com, offering flights to key destinations across Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan, including Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Lawas and Limbang, as well as interior locations such as Ba’kelalan, Long Lellang, Long Seridan and Bario.
The website allows travellers to purchase tickets, manage bookings, access travel information and alerts, request e-invoices and reach customer support. – DayakDaily
