By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 21: The long-awaited revival of the direct flight route between Indonesia’s Pontianak city and Sarawak’s Kuching is on the horizon following recent developments in Indonesia’s aviation policy, says Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Speaking during a press conference at the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2025 at Sarawak Cultural Village today, Abdul Karim said Indonesia has recently moved to open its skies from Pontianak, a crucial step that could soon see airlines resuming the popular short-haul route.
“I’m very happy. It has been announced on that side that they are opening up their skies from Pontianak.
“You see, in Indonesia, the decree must come from the President. We’ve been asking and asking to resume the Pontianak-Kuching flight, but it was not given before.
“With this new development, it is now up to the airlines to start operating again,” he said, expressing optimism that several carriers may already be exploring the opportunity.
He stressed that the resumption of the route will not only benefit Sarawak and Malaysia, but also the Kalimantan side of Indonesia.
“A lot of Sarawakians now, instead of driving four or five hours to Pontianak, might as well just fly half an hour. And that will definitely benefit the tourism industry in Pontianak as well,” he added.
Abdul Karim also confirmed that his ministry will actively engage both Malaysian and Indonesian carriers, including low-cost airlines, to explore the route’s viability.
“Not just AirAsia. Even airlines from Indonesia. They have lots of budget airlines, and if they are willing to participate in that, of course, we are very, very happy,” he said.
Citing the growing demand for flights in the region, he pointed to the current Kuching-Jakarta route, which has expanded from once daily to twice a day due to high passenger loads.
The Pontianak-Kuching route was previously operated by several airlines but had been suspended for years due to regulatory and operational challenges. – DayakDaily
