MAS to resume flights from peninsular to Sabah, Sarawak by this week

The Transport Ministry has requested Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia to resume its flight operations from the peninsular to Sabah and Sarawak during the movement control order.

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong (photo, above) said that he had contacted Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) and it has agreed to resume its flight operations this week.

The routes involve return flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching; KL and Miri; and KL and Kota Kinabalu.

Wee said in a statement that the two airlines will fly once a week to the respective destinations. MAB may increase its flight frequency next week if there's more demand.

On the other hand, rural air services operator Maswings will continue its return flight operations between Miri and Bintulu, Kuching and Sibu, and Sibu and Bintulu.

Wee's statement followed the State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah's complaint after the two airlines and Malindo cancelled flights to Sarawak from April 15 to April 30.

Yesterday, Abdul Karim (above) had said that although the flight's cancellation is one of the measures to break the chain of the Covid-19 pandemic, a strict standard operating procedure can be imposed on travellers.

Meanwhile, Wee said the ministry had never instructed the airlines to halt their flight operations to Sabah and Sarawak.

"On March 25, AirAsia Group Berhad issued a statement that the company had to temporarily stop its domestic and international operations from March 28 to April 28.

"AirAsia viewed the step as the best to protect both passengers and its employees in these trying times.

"MAS ceased its operations as the number of passengers decreased to 15 percent. The company suffered huge losses and it had to temporarily stop the operation to avoid severe implications," Wee said.

Wee also stressed that MAS had clarified that its cargo services are running as usual during the MCO.

The return cargo flight operations take place between KL and Kuching, KL and Kota Kinabalu, as well as KL and Labuan, three times a week. - Mkini