KUCHING: AirBorneo fares will remain unchanged for now despite rising fuel prices, said its chief executive officer Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin.
Megat said the airline has experienced a slight increase in operating expenses, particularly fuel costs, but ticket prices will remain the same as the airline carries a social mission under its agreement with the government.
“At the moment, there is a slight increase in our expenses, especially fuel costs. However, our mission here is also a social mission, and we have to continue operating the service,” he said when met by reporters during an iftar event with members of the media on Monday (Mar 17).
He added that any proposal to introduce a fuel surcharge or increase fares must first be discussed with the state government.
“This is also part of our agreement with the government. If there is any fuel service surcharge, we have to discuss it with the state government first.
“So it is not like a commercial airline where fares increase in tandem with fuel prices. For now, the ticket price remains the same,” he said.
Megat said the airline is also factoring rising costs into its operational planning, particularly with plans involving jet aircraft in the future.
According to him, the airline is currently working on fuel procurement strategies and mitigation measures to assess cost implications and manage potential increases.
“That is part of our operational planning moving forward. We are looking at fuel procurement and mitigation to see what the cost implications are and how we can manage them,” he said.
Nevertheless, he said any possible fare adjustment in the future would depend on the extent of fuel price increases and would require consultation with the state government.
“At this point in time, the fares remain the same. Any future decision would depend on how much the costs increase,” he added.
