Sarawak gov't acquires MASwings, to rebrand as AirBorneo

The government of Sarawak in Malaysia has formally acquired MASwings (MY, Kota Kinabalu) from Malaysia Aviation Group and will rename the regional carrier AirBorneo. State Premier Abang Johari Openg pledged that Sarawak's "new flagship airline" would boost economic growth.

"Today marks a bold leap toward unlocking Sarawak's full potential," said the premier at the February 12 takeover ceremony. "AirBorneo is not merely an airline, it is a catalyst for economic prosperity, social equity, and global connectivity. By taking control of our air services, we position Sarawak as Borneo's aviation gateway and a vital ASEAN hub."

The premier has long advocated a Sarawak-headquartered scheduled airline. MASwings already has flights to and from the state's primary airport, Kuching, but these are ATR72-500 and DHC-6-400 services to smaller towns in Sarawak and elsewhere around Borneo. Those flights will continue but Abang Johari has a bolder vision for AirBorneo.

“The airline will focus on destinations within a four-to-five hour radius initially, with plans to explore codesharing partnerships, including with Malaysia Airlines, to enhance global reach," he said.

The premier is yet to disclose his future fleet plans. In October, he said that a new international airport for Kuching would be constructed able to accommodate up to 15 million passengers annually. While Kuching is relatively well connected to regional destinations, with eight scheduled passenger carriers operating to 19 airports in six countries, Abang Johari has been critical of high ticket prices and the lack of connectivity to airports beyond the South China Sea region.

This week, the premier acknowledged the support of MAG and its owners, the Khazanah Nasional sovereign wealth fund, and the Ministry of Transport of Malaysia, which approved the transaction. He said it might take a year or more before the state government fully takes over MASwings and rebrands it as AirBorneo.