Official statement from the Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah reveals that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has accepted the Sarawak government’s proposal to establish its own boutique airline.
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg expects that Sarawak’s boutique airline is expected to commence within the next three years following the Federal government’s greenlight .
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had agreed in principle to the proposal from the Sarawak government to establish a state-owned boutique airline that aims to stabilise airfare prices from the peninsula to the Bornean island.
“In relation to this, the MOT — via the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) — will examine and consider the proposal accordingly after a complete application has been submitted to the government for consideration,” Hasbi told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (June 12).
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg : “Sarawak is located on the island of Borneo, and we want more people to be able to travel to and from the state with much ease – what better way to assist them than by setting up an airline for them to do so? After all, air travel is the fastest way to travel.”
About the Air Operator Permit (AOP) , he said that the new airlines are required to obtain an air service licence (ASL) from Mavcom and an air operator’s certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia for the airlines to run scheduled passenger and cargo flight services.
“In the process to obtain an ASL, Mavcom will examine and consider, among others, the status and background of the applicant’s financial plan, reasonableness of the business plan, ability and legitimacy of the management, and whether the entire operation application is realistic,” he added.
Last month, Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin reportedly said the proposed boutique airline was still in the preliminary application stage, with an application having been submitted on April 11.
Earlier in the month of April, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg mentioned that the state’s boutique airline is not profit-motivated, but the planned airline will disrupt the high fares and act in stabilising air fares to and from Sarawak.
However , Johari did not forget to mention that the Hornbill Skyways , with over 30 years of experience, will be the primary operator of the boutique airline.
