By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 15: Sarawak’s air connectivity with China received a boost today with the arrival of 9Air’s inaugural direct scheduled charter flight from Haikou, landing at Kuching International Airport at 5.10am.
Passengers on the flight AQ1295 included Cai Xing, assistant to the President of 9Air and General Manager of the Route Network Department, who joined the first batch of travellers.
The bi-weekly service departs Haikou on Tuesdays and Saturdays one week, Thursdays the next, with return flights the same day.
With this addition, Kuching becomes 9Air’s second Malaysian destination after Kuala Lumpur, reflecting the airline’s growing presence in the Southeast Asian market.
Minister for Transport Sarawak, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, who welcomed Cai upon arrival, expressed appreciation for 9Air’s growing interest in Sarawak and encouraged the airline to consider expanding its network to include direct flights from Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
“Both Guangzhou and Shenzhen have strong economic and tourism links with Sarawak. Establishing direct connections will enhance business exchanges, investment flows, and people-to-people ties,” Lee said in a press release issued today.
He also highlighted the potential of Miri as a future 9Air destination, pointing out its position as the Northern Gateway to Sarawak and Brunei, and its proximity to Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
“Miri is experiencing strong growth, including the proposed establishment of the Shanghai Fudan University branch campus and the Integrative Medical Research Institute, which are expected to stimulate academic, commercial and international travel activities.
“Together with its coastal appeal and the growing demand among local business communities to travel to Guangzhou, Miri stands out as a promising potential destination for future 9Air services,” he added.
Meanwhile, Cai shared details of 9Air’s fleet and operations, noting that the airline currently has 27 aircraft under a low-cost model, with high load factors averaging 90 per cent overall and exceeding 95 per cent on flights from Guangzhou.
Cai acknowledged the strong prospects for direct Guangzhou–Kuching services and confirmed that the airline is open to exploring the feasibility of launching direct Shenzhen–Miri or Guangzhou–Miri routes, in line with market demand and Sarawak’s development trajectory.
The launch of the Haikou–Kuching service comes at a time of rising travel demand between China and Malaysia, further strengthened by the mutual visa-exemption policy introduced in July 2025. The enhanced air connectivity is expected to increase tourism flows, boost business activities, and promote greater cultural and educational exchanges between the two regions.
In addition to the Kuching service, 9Air will launch the Haikou–Penang route on 18 November 2025, also operating on a bi-weekly rotating schedule. With this expansion, 9Air will serve three Malaysian cities, underscoring the airline’s commitment to strengthening regional connectivity and supporting the growth of China’s outbound tourism and civil aviation sector.
In another development, Lee highlighted that Sarawak is poised to welcome several additional charter flights from China next month, marking a positive trend of increasing interest from the Chinese market.
He expressed hope that this momentum will lead to more direct routes connecting Sarawak with additional cities across China in the near future.
He also recalled his engagement last year with Wang Junjin, Chairman of Shanghai Juneyao Group, the parent company of 9Air.
During the meeting, both parties explored the potential for establishing direct routes between Sarawak and China where Wang had suggested beginning with charter flights to build market confidence before progressing to full scheduled services — a strategy now taking shape with the launch of the Haikou–Kuching route.
Also present at the welcoming ceremony were Zhou Pu, Contract Manager of 9Air; Musdalifa Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of GTR (Ground Team Red); and Sio Yew Hua, Aviation Technical Advisor to the Ministry. – DayakDaily
