By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 26: The federal government has fixed the maximum airfare at RM499 for flights to Sarawak and Sabah during the three days before Gawai Dayak and Kaamatan, while the remaining operating costs will be covered through government subsidies.
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, this followed increases in airfares and airline operating costs during the holiday season, with some airfare said to even reach up to RM1,000.
Speaking during a press conference following an event in Kajang, he said the government has set a maximum airfare of RM499 for flights to Sabah and Sarawak during the three days leading up to the festivities.
“For that period, the government will cover the cost difference to the airlines through subsidies rather than requiring the airlines themselves to absorb the additional costs.
“If the actual ticket price reaches RM1,000 but the maximum fare is capped at RM499, the government will have to bear the remaining RM501 for each ticket. This naturally increases the government’s financial commitment,” he said, as reported by TVS.
However, he said the fare cap applies only to flights travelling to Sarawak and Sabah, as passengers return at different times and their journeys back are not concentrated within a specific period.
He said that rising airline operating costs were driven by several factors, including volatility in the global energy market, which has affected jet fuel prices.
Last month, the Ministry of Transport also announced a RM50 rebate for air tickets on routes between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan in conjunction with the Gawai Dayak and Kaamatan celebrations for the period from May 15 to June 14. — DayakDaily
