In a historic move, the Sarawak government today has officially acquired MASwings, a subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and renamed it AirBorneo.
This marks a significant milestone in the Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s aviation sector, with the Sarawak government now the only government within the Federation of Malaysia to own an airline.
The acquisition was formalized through a sale and purchase agreement signed on today, February 12, 2025.
Aside from the name, the airline would also feature the tagline “Fly to the world with withs of Sarawak”.
It is understood that the takeover is part of Sarawak’s broader strategy to gain greater autonomy and control over its strategic assets. Under MAG, MASwings mainly serviced rural areas within Sabah and Sarawak.
More about AirBorneo Sarawak
Sarawak Premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the AirBorneo will be a full-service carrier (FSC) aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and boosting economic growth.
He emphasized that this move positions Sarawak as an aviation hub for Borneo and a gateway to ASEAN, unlocking economic opportunities and improving air connectivity to both domestic and international destinations.
The airline aims to offer superior in-flight services and create a balance between connectivity, affordable fares, and economic benefits.
The transition process is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with MAG working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless handover.
AirBorneo routes and destinations
AirBorneo will continue to serve current MASWings routes which covers 22 destinations in Borneo.
Despite the change of ownership, AirBorneo will continue to focus on rural air services (RAS) while gradually expanding its network to include international routes within four to five hour radius from its likely hub, the Kuching International Airport.
Flights currently under MASwings will therefore continue to operate as usual, ensuring uninterrupted air services for the communities that rely on them.
AirBorneo will also engage in strategic partnerships and code-sharing agreements with other airlines, including Malaysia Airlines, allowing its passengers to enjoy a wider range of destinations and services.
Previously, Abang Johari had suggested AirBorneo fly to Korea, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia.
AirBorneo Sarawak headquarters
AirBorneo is likely to have its headquarters in Kuching, Sarawak given the fact that the Sarawak government is also tapping into Hornbill Skyways expertise in managing an airline, and the hope of turning Kuching into the gateway to Borneo.
Hornbill Skyways is a regional aircraft charter service which is well known in Borneo, and it operates out of the Kuching International Airport. Hornbill Skyways ownes and operates helicopters, private jets and turboprop.
This will likely also be the case for AirBorneo once it starts offering new routes outside of Borneo.
Currently however, AirBorneo which is still very much MASWings, operates from its main hub in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and Miri in Sarawak, with Kuching only serving as a secondary hub.
AirBorneo planes
Under MAG, MASWings operates its routes with eight ATR 72-500s and six DHC- 6-400 Twin Otters.
It is however expected that AirBorneo will expand to short to medium range single aisle airliner in the near future to accomodate its expansion into ASEAN markets and beyond.
This would mean the airline would likely acquire planes like Airbus A320, Airbus 330, Boeing 737-800, and Comac C919 as it plans out its route expansion.
Abang Johari had also said that AirBorneo will seek to work with Airbus, Boeing, Comac, Embraer, or ATR to further enhance the air industry in Sarawak.
Sources: TVS, The Edge, Hornbill Skyways, MASwings, DayakDaily,
