LUNDU: Sarawak owned airline, Air Borneo, is currently in its transition phase and is expected to be fully operational within the next 12 months.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said that the airline needs to obtain regulatory approvals and the necessary licences at both the international and national levels.
At present, he said Air Borneo is still operating under MASwings until all official approvals are obtained.
“This is the transition phase. For now, Air Borneo is still under MASwings until we get all the approvals, licences, and regulations required to own our own airline with its own logo and corporate identity,” he said after visiting the Aerospace Academy at Centexs Lundu today.
He explained that the process of obtaining approvals from international aviation organisations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), takes at least four months due to the involvement of various strict regulations.
Regarding staff recruitment, Lee noted that all existing staff will be absorbed into Air Borneo before any new hires are made.
“We need to take all the existing staff first. But when Air Borneo expands its operations to the regional level, we will need new staff, including pilots and cabin crew.”
He added that the current staff count is estimated to be over 300 people, but the exact number is still being assessed.
Meanwhile, he also plans to meet with the management of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and MASwings in the near future to discuss this transition plan.
In another development, Lee said that aircraft maintenance for Air Borneo is currently based in Kota Kinabalu, but a study is being conducted to move this operation to Miri in the future.
Furthermore, to create Air Borneo’s corporate identity, a logo design competition will be open to the public, with the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (UKAS) expected to release an official statement.
“As for the prize, stay tuned for the official announcement,” he said.
