Sarawak-owned airline AirBorneo is expected to expand its flight operations to destinations including Peninsular Malaysia and nearby regions after July 2026, once it acquires larger aircraft.
According to a Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) report, Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the airline is currently operating small aircraft as part of the Rural Air Service (RAS) previously run by MASWings.
“As such, we cannot expect major changes in a short period. We need to give it at least two years before AirBorneo can start serving major destinations,” he told reporters after attending a rehearsal for the 2026 New Year’s Eve celebration at the Kuching Waterfront on Monday night.
He added that the establishment of AirBorneo aims to enhance air connectivity and transport services within Sarawak, although the airline is not expected to see an immediate surge in operations during its initial phase.
Despite these challenges, Abdul Karim expressed confidence in the airline’s long-term prospects, particularly with Kuching being selected as one of the launch venues for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, which will be officially launched this Thursday. He also announced that AirBorneo itself will be officially launched this Friday.
AirBorneo was created following the Sarawak government’s acquisition of MASWings from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) earlier this year, making Sarawak the first state in Malaysia to own its own airline.
The transition of MASWings operations to AirBorneo is scheduled to take effect on Jan 1, 2026, with AirBorneo assuming full legal and operational responsibility for services previously operated by MASWings, including flights, customer service, and passenger management.
