KUCHING – AirBorneo has been proposed as a possible official airline for the 2027 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, with the hope that Sarawak will utilize the airline for the games that will be held in the state.
According to Sarawak’s Minister of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the idea was brought up during initial discussions for the games as Sarawak is set to host the opening ceremony and a large number of events during the games. He brought up the idea in meetings with federal officials.
During a press conference after a courtesy meeting with the management of AirBorneo, led by its chief executive Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin, the minister explained the expectations of the state from the new airline. “The hope is that at least one of these planes will be operational under the AirBorneo name by September 2027,” he said.
“Although not yet scheduled for a fully commercial flight, the aircraft can be used as a chartered flight (charter flight) by carrying AirBorneo branding for the official purpose of the Games,” the minister said during a discussion of logistical arrangements for athletes and officials from Southeast Asia.
The state government’s administration has a larger plan in place to extend the airline’s operations from its current Rural Air Services (RAS) to other domestic and international routes. The administration has shown its intentions to operate the airline on routes connecting East Malaysia to Peninsular Malaysia and other ASEAN countries.
Abdul Karim also mentioned a target to acquire at least three jet planes in the next year, depending on the availability of the market globally. He explained that the aviation market is facing shortages in supply, which may influence the acquisition of the planes.
Industry watchers believe that the appointment of a local airline as an official games partner may help to enhance the image of Sarawak and also provide transport solutions during the games, apart from hastening the transition to larger aircraft operations by the airline. This will be in line with trends that see host states promote local aviation assets during sporting events.
However, there has been no confirmation yet from the authorities regarding the agreement and the details of the services that AirBorneo would offer during the SEA Games. Further negotiations will determine if the proposal will be included in the logistics plan for the SEA Games 2027.
