Airborneo Will Allow Sarawak To Pick Routes Marketing Strategies Says Minister

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Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said AirBorneo will be a completely ‘new player’ despite the perception that it is a ‘continuation of MASwings’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Sarawak-owned AirBorneo will offer the state government some leeway in terms of marketing and flying to new destinations, Sarawak tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said.
Karim said that as it was currently operating under the MASwings brand, it did not have the prerogative to determine “where we want to do our marketing”, The Borneo Post reported.
But once the rebranding exercise is completed, he said, Sarawak would have a say in it.
“We will initially adopt MASwings’ existing routes, and we will set new destinations over time,” he was quoted as saying.
In December, state premier Abang Johari Openg said the airline would fly to six international destinations – Germany, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia.
Karim also said AirBorneo is a completely “new player” despite the perception that it is a “continuation of MASwings”, and that it will drive healthy competition, especially in services and fares.
However, he said the state did not see other airlines as competition but as a collective effort to further strengthen the tourism and aviation industries.
“The entry of more airlines into the market creates healthy competition among them to provide better services and fairer fares, in contrast to the past, when everything was determined solely by demand and supply,” he said.
Karim said that during its first five years, AirBorneo would strive for balance rather than generate profit, but admitted that it would be a success if the airline could sustain fair pricing without incurring losses.
“It would also be a significant achievement and even serve as a model for others if we can offer fair pricing while still covering our costs,” he said. - FMT

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