KUCHING: The pricing of AirBorneo flights must be balanced with other airlines to ensure smooth operations without affecting market competition.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said setting fares too low would also affect local residents in the future.
“If we lower prices too much, other airlines will not want to fly to Sarawak because they would make a loss – everyone would use AirBorneo flights,” he opined.
“Therefore, this balance is necessary because if no other airlines come to Sarawak, we will bear the consequences later.”
Abdul Karim said this when asked about recent complaints regarding AirBorneo fares during the New Year Countdown 2026 press conference here today.
He noted that social media users had complained that ticket prices were too high, reaching RM200 for routes such as Sibu to Kota Kinabalu and Sibu to Kuching.
“What is actually the ideal price? RM100 or RM200? If we drive from Sibu to Kuching ourselves, we have to pay for petrol, but it takes five hours,” he reasoned.
“So, when passengers choose a journey of less than half an hour, paying a slightly higher amount is normal. For some people, RM200 is still acceptable.”
He added that it was not easy to satisfy everyone because people have different views on any issue.
“Whether the price is set low or not, that is subjective. For some, it may be acceptable; for others, it may not,” he said.
In this regard, he urged the public to give AirBorneo a chance to start operations before making criticisms.
“Our planes have not flown yet. Give them a chance. In any industry, especially transportation, there are many matters that need attention.
“Of course, if we lower the price to the minimum level so that AirBorneo, as Sarawakians say, cannot operate, it is pointless. So, there needs to be a balance,” he stressed.
“Be patient, wait until the system stabilises. The planes will operate. After some time, the prices will adjust on their own.”
