MASwings looks to boost Brunei-Kuching route

 

 

 

 

 

He added that on the contrary, MASwings' Brunei-Kota Kinabalu route has improved "very much", but that in this preliminary stages, there are still many other options to promote Kuching and Brunei. 

 

According to the chief executive, one of the ways that is in progress now is to promote the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area) to Taiwanese tourists. "We are talking to the Taiwanese agents now to promote this area, and we are also in talks with the Brunei Tourism Board on what we can do as well," he said. He added that the talks with the Brunei Tourism Board is still in its early stages and there hasn't been anything that is confirmed yet. 

 

Dato Captain Nawawi also said that the first Philippines route from Kota Kinabalu may be a reality at the end of the year, to Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Asked if there is a possibility to expand the route to Brunei, the chief executive said that right now MASwings is working out the approvals to get their first Philippines destination, and if everything goes well, then the route could expand to Brunei. The BIMP-EAGA airline is looking to target a three-times weekly flight for its Philippines route.

 

Another additional route that the airline will be unveiling is the Kuching-Balikpapan route which is also expected to run thrice weekly. 

 

Recently, MASwings has announced its second phase of expansion in the region by increasing the frequency of its Tawau-Tarakan flight from three times a week to a daily service. The response to the airline's phase one expansion plan to three destinations, namely Tarakan, Pontianak and Brunei, has been very encouraging, said Dato Captain Nawawi.

 

The average passenger load factor is about 60 per cent to 70 per cent with the Tawau-Tarakan route and Kuching-Pontianak route recording load factor of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent, he told the New Sabah Times, when announcing MASwings phase two expansion plan in BIMP-EAGA.

 

The airline currently has 10 ATR72-500s and plans to add another one by the end of the year.

 

Since its foray into the BIMP-EAGA region, MASwings has carried some 20-thousand passengers and mounted 400 flights.

 

During the launching of the Kuching-Brunei routes, the chief executive said that BIMP-EAGA has a population of about eight million people and that MASwings wants to promote this region and Borneo to the rest of the world.

 

Dato Captain Mohd Nawawi explained that the initial mission was to find a solution to enhance connectivity within the BIMP-EAGA region, with a focus on bringing better connectivity to rural areas such as Pontianak and Tarakan, which now has an average load of 80 to 90 per cent per trip.