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SARAWAK-OWNED airline AirBorneo has opened ticket sales following the launch of its official website on Dec 10, with flights scheduled to commence on Jan 14, 2026.
The move marks a significant milestone in Sarawak’s plans to establish a state-owned commercial airline and strengthen air connectivity within and beyond the state.
Initial checks by the New Straits Times show that AirBorneo’s early operations will focus on domestic routes within Sarawak and Sabah, operated using turboprop aircraft under the Rural Air Services (RAS) framework.
Pricing on airborneo.com indicates that a return economy class flight from Kuching to Bintulu, departing on Feb 6 and returning on Feb 13, 2026, is priced at RM504 per adult under the RAS Basic fare.
The RAS Basic fare includes 7kg of hand-carry baggage and two pieces of checked baggage with a combined maximum weight of 10kg, but excludes in-flight meals and seat selection.
It also carries penalties of up to RM50 per passenger for flight changes and RM120 per passenger for refunds.
For the same outbound leg on Feb 6, the RAS Flex fare was marginally higher at RM288 one way compared with RM285 for the RAS Basic fare, with both options offering identical baggage entitlements and no onboard meals or seat selection.
Differences between the two fare types were more apparent on the return leg on Feb 13.
While the RAS Basic fare was priced at RM219 with the same change and refund penalties, the RAS Flex fare cost RM228 and allowed flight changes without penalty, alongside a reduced refund fee of RM20 per passenger.
Baggage allowances and onboard inclusions remained unchanged.
Beyond domestic services, AirBorneo’s launch aligns with broader Sarawak government plans to expand the airline’s role regionally.
According to the Borneo Post, AirBorneo is planning to introduce direct flights between Sarawak and Singapore, a move expected to boost tourism and regional mobility.
Singapore’s minister for social and family development, Masagos Zulkifli has previously said such services would enhance mobility and tourism opportunities.
Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has also said the airline is targeting the introduction of jet operations by July 2026, signalling a shift beyond turboprop aircraft as the network expands.
Two international destinations he mentioned, as quoted by The Borneo Post on Dec 6, were Singapore and Jeju Island in South Korea.
Sobie Aviation Pte Ltd aviation analyst and consultant Brendan Sobie said smaller narrowbody aircraft would be more suitable as AirBorneo moves into jet operations.
He stated aircraft such as the Airbus A220 or Embraer E2 would be more sensible given market size and demand patterns, adding that both offer strong range capabilities across Asia and parts of Australia.
“A320s and Boeing 737s are also possible based on requirements, but I think in this case smaller aircraft are better.
“Ultimately, it could depend more on availability than anything else, given the tight supply in the market due to delivery delays and supply chain constraints,” Sobie said to NST.
On competition, Sobie said AirBorneo’s entry into jet operations would not create a level playing field, as the airline would need to be heavily subsidised on both rural turboprop routes and any jet routes it launches.
She said AirBorneo will compete against AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines Bhd and others, as the rural turboprop routes do not have competition.
“I would expect operators on existing jet routes that AirBorneo enters to have no choice but to reduce capacity and, in some cases, exit due to the unlevel playing field.
“I think Sarawak has underestimated the impact that launching a subsidised airline will have on existing players, and their traffic forecasts for Kuching, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu should take this into account,” Sobie added.
On Nov 26, the Business Times reported that AirBorneo had appointed Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s chief aviation and strategy officer, Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin, as its CEO.
Details on the airline’s fleet and route strategies remain undisclosed, although Abang Johari has previously said Sarawak aims to emulate the success of Dubai-based Emirates.
AirBorneo is the rebranded entity of MASWings, following Sarawak’s acquisition of the airline from Malaysia Aviation Group under a sale and purchase agreement signed on Feb 12.
The post AirBorneo begins ticket sales ahead of January 2026 launch appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.
