Airfares between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak have surged by more than 200 per cent, putting increasing financial pressure on Malaysians working in the peninsula, particularly those from the B40 income group.
The steep fares have also forced some Sabahans to abandon plans to return to the peninsula, including for family emergencies. Some have even been left stranded in their hometowns after finding return flights beyond what they can afford.
Members of the public are now urging the government and airlines to take immediate action to address the issue and ensure airfares remain at more reasonable levels.
Checks conducted over the past two weeks found that one-way fares on certain dates had climbed as high as RM2,000, while the cheapest tickets available were priced at around RM600.
Housewife Nur Sarina Saleh, 47, who lives in Selangor, said she and her three school-going children had been stranded in Sandakan, Sabah, for almost two months after returning home to visit her sick mother.
She said her husband, who works in Kuala Lumpur, earns RM2,000 a month, while she does not have an income.
“We returned to our hometown in early July to visit my sick mother. We never expected to still be stranded here because tickets for the four of us cost more than RM3,000.
“My three children have also been out of school for almost two months because we remain stranded here. My husband has asked us to wait until fares come down slightly before returning.
“I do not know how we are going to get home. I cannot see a way for us to return to Kuala Lumpur,” she said.
For private-sector employee Muhammad Ehsanulhadi Karim, 42, the high fares became an unavoidable expense after the death of a close relative.
He said he paid RM2,500 for a return flight between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur at the end of July, with the one-way fare costing RM1,500 per person and the return ticket RM1,000.
“If I had brought other family members, I would have had to spend thousands of ringgit more on airfares alone.
“People are told to buy tickets early to get cheaper fares, but in emergencies such as a death in the family, we have no choice but to pay thousands of ringgit,” he said.
Ehsanulhadi said airfares should be reviewed by taking into account both airlines’ operating expenses and the financial burden faced by passengers.
“If fares have to increase, perhaps RM400 to RM600 for a return trip would be reasonable. Why not reintroduce cheap-ticket promotions and ensure last-minute fares are not too burdensome for consumers?” he asked.
Private-sector employee Nurul Syazwani Alias, 30, who lives in Sabah, said her family had to miss her father-in-law’s funeral in Kuala Lumpur because of the prohibitive cost of flights.
She said the one-way fare for three people had reached RM4,900 at the time.
“Imagine if we had to travel both ways, I would have needed more than RM8,000.
“We could not afford it, and I was devastated that I could not see my late father-in-law for the last time simply because airfares were too high.
“Even if the government cannot directly control airfares because they are determined by airlines, it should consider other measures, including regulating how fares are set. Airlines should not be allowed to increase prices as they please,” she said.
President of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Anak Sabah Kami Bersatu Selangor, Sudin Labiding, said fares reaching RM2,000 were placing considerable pressure on Sabahans living away from their families.
“Airfares are currently very expensive and burdensome for Sabahans living away from home.
“The government has previously fought against expensive airfares, so do something to bring them down to a reasonable level and ease the burden on ordinary Malaysians,” he said.
The high fares are also affecting the tourism industry, with some operators reporting cancellations as travel packages become more expensive.
Mountain-hiking operator Amanda Omeychua said her business had suffered losses of up to 40 per cent since July after several large groups cancelled their trips following increases in package prices linked to higher airfares.
“When airfares are too high, some customers have to postpone their trips, change dates or cancel their plans.
“For tourism operators like us, it is difficult to offer affordable packages even though our land-based operating costs can still be controlled,” she said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Ikatan Sepadu Anak Jati Sabah Supreme Council president Wagner Naftley Daniel said high airfares remained a concern among students, particularly those from financially constrained backgrounds.
He said students travelled home not only during festive periods and semester breaks, but also because of family matters, personal commitments and emergencies.
“We are worried because the new semester begins at the end of September. If fares remain at their current levels, how will students who are now back home return to the peninsula?
“We hope the RM600 Subfly subsidy channelled to public universities by the Sabah government and the RM400 Flysiswa subsidy provided by the federal government can be increased,” he said.
