KUCHING: Direct flights connecting Kota Kinabalu with Bintulu and Sibu will resume in November, with AirAsia set to operate the two routes three and four times weekly respectively.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the Kota Kinabalu-Bintulu route would resume on Nov 1, while the Kota Kinabalu-Sibu route would restart on Nov 2.
He said AirAsia would operate the Kota Kinabalu-Bintulu service three times weekly and the Kota Kinabalu-Sibu service four times weekly, with both routes using Airbus A320 aircraft.
“Following several meetings and my recent meeting with AirAsia, I am pleased to announce that AirAsia will resume its direct flights connecting Kota Kinabalu with Bintulu and Sibu beginning November 2026,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook.
Tiong said tickets for both services had been available for sale since Sept 2.
He said the resumption followed continued engagement with AirAsia over the need to strengthen air connectivity between Sabah and Sarawak, particularly for residents of Bintulu and Sibu.
He said many people relied on the direct services for work, education, business, tourism, medical needs and family visits.
“Without direct services, passengers may have to transit through other airports, resulting in longer travelling times and additional expenses,” he said.
Tiong said stronger connectivity between Sabah and Sarawak is important not only for travellers’ convenience but also for supporting economic activity, domestic tourism and closer ties between communities in both states.
He said the Kota Kinabalu-Bintulu service would provide greater convenience for residents, workers and the business community as Bintulu continued to develop as an industrial and economic centre.
Similarly, he said the Kota Kinabalu-Sibu route would benefit travellers from Sibu and the wider central region of Sarawak.
Tiong also stressed that the services must remain stable, reliable and sustainable to give passengers confidence in planning their journeys.
“Frequent cancellations or last-minute schedule changes will only cause further inconvenience and undermine public confidence,” he said.
He added that he had also urged AirAsia to maintain reasonable airfares as far as market conditions allowed to ease the financial burden on travellers.
“Increasing flight options must bring real benefits to the people, while growth in passenger traffic can create a win-win situation for both the airline and passengers,” he said.
Tiong said the resumption of the two routes marked a positive step towards improving air connectivity between Sabah and Sarawak.
He added that the Ministry would continue engaging airlines and relevant authorities to provide passengers with more travel options and ensure aviation services kept pace with the needs and development of both states.
