<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Ts Dr. Hj Ramli Amir, former President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia and Vice-President of CILT International for Southeast Asia
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KOTA KINABALU: The feasibility of Sabah establishing its own airline appears uncertain and faces several challenges. Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd (SAASB), a state-owned general aviation business, had initially expressed interest in starting scheduled passenger flights as early as 2024 using three leased aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, recent statements from SAASB chairman Kenny Chua indicate a more cautious approach, suggesting it may be a long-term plan that could take up to five years to materialize.
Challenges and Considerations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Financial Viability: The recent collapse of MYAirline has reinforced the need for a solid business case and financial stability for any new airline venture.
Market Competition: Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabalu, is already well-connected by various operators including Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and AirAsia. This existing competition could make it difficult for a new entrant to establish itself.
Infrastructure and Resources: While Sabah Air has experience in general aviation, transitioning to scheduled passenger operations would require significant investment in aircraft, personnel, and infrastructure.
Regulatory Hurdles: Establishing a new airline involves navigating complex aviation regulations and obtaining necessary licenses and approvals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternative Approaches<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Current Initiatives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ceiling Price Policy: The government has maintained a RM599 ceiling price for flights between the peninsula and Sabah\/Sarawak during festive seasons. This helps to control extreme price surges during peak travel times.
FLYsiswa Program: This initiative provides a RM300 voucher to eligible students for domestic flights between the peninsula, Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan. The program has been made an annual initiative, offering consistent support to students.
State-Level Assistance: The Sabah government has introduced a RM600 airfare subsidy for Sabahan students studying in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Labuan.
Intra-State Travel Subsidy: A RM300 subsidy has been announced for Sabahan students studying within Sabah to help with travel expenses when returning to their hometowns during festive seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the idea of a Sabah-owned airline aligns with the state’s ambitions for economic growth and improved connectivity, the current climate suggests that immediate implementation faces significant challenges. A more gradual approach, focusing on partnerships, infrastructure development, and leveraging existing carriers, might be more feasible in the short to medium term. Any decision to establish a state-owned airline should be carefully considered within the broader context of Sabah’s economic development plans, such as the proposed Sabah Economic Model (SNEM), to ensure alignment with long-term economic goals and sustainability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Ts Dr. Hj Ramli Amir, former President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia and Vice-President of CILT International for Southeast Asia KOTA KINABALU: The feasibility of Sabah establishing its own airline appears uncertain and faces several challenges. Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd (SAASB), a state-owned general aviation business, had initially expressed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":32620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-32619","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-news"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32621,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32619\/revisions\/32621"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jesseltontimes.com\/wpmarch2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}