AirBorneo officially took to the skies today as the Sarawak government-owned airline successfully completed its inaugural flights amid light rain, with two aircraft departing from Kuching International Airport to Mukah and Tanjung Manis.
The ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft bound for Mukah took off at 8.25am, followed by the DHC6-400 Twin Otter aircraft heading to Tanjung Manis at 8.45am.
The inaugural flights came a day after the Sarawak government completed the acquisition of MASwings, marking AirBorneo’s first official operations. The airline’s cabin crew uniforms were also unveiled to the public for the first time.
Sarawak Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin attended the inaugural ceremony held at the VIP lounge of Kuching International Airport, where he presented souvenirs to passengers on the maiden flights.
Also present were Sarawak State Secretary and AirBorneo chairman Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar, Deputy Minister of Transport (Aviation and Roads) Datuk Jerip Susil, and Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Public Communications) Datuk Abdullah Saidol.
Meanwhile, AirBorneo chief executive officer Megat Adi An officially assumed his role yesterday. With his extensive experience in the aviation industry, he is expected to lead the airline into a new phase of growth and service enhancement.
