MasWings eyes Brunei

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) subsidiary MasWings is in the midst of expanding its network of routes and destinations, with plans to introduce Brunei as a central "eastern hub" for international visitors in the BIMP-EAGA region being mooted for implementation next year.

The move could dramatically provide a significant impact on the frequency of visitors arriving at the Brunei International Airport.

The proposal to secure Brunei as the latest route could signal major progress and development because it will provide the new city code (BWN) more flexibility in terms of passengers' alternative routes and will offer visitors more opportunities to fly to Brunei which could subsequently further improve the country's tourism prospects.

However, accessibility and flexibility will not be the only benefits to be enjoyed by frequent and new visitors to Brunei, as travellers from nearby cities in both Sabah and Sarawak would have the added option of stopping over in Brunei before continuing their final leg of the journey towards other cities via Malaysia Airlines.

MasWings' proposed flights include daily flights to Kota Kinabalu and Brunei Darussalam-Kuching routes - and vice versa - three times a week, said Munirah Omar, MAS Executive, MasWings Division.

"We would definitely obtain our services once we receive approval from the Brunei Government. We will offer afternoon (around 1pm) and evening flights for Kota Kinabalu. The (flight) times are yet to be advised," she said in an interview with the Weekend Bulletin yesterday.

According to Munirah, Brunei will be a favourable destination given the fact that other major airlines in the region regularly fly in and out of the country. "By having these services in Brunei, we hope that it would attract easier international connections out of Kota Kinabalu," she said.

MasWings is currently waiting for approval from the government after having submitted the proposal to begin its operations in the Sultanate as the latest to join a host of destinations in the BIMP-EAGA region.

MasWings, which travels to 22 destinations mainly in Sabah and Sarawak, aims to ensure greater accessibility by establishing closer links for connecting flights to continental or global cities.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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The 'Best Airport' On Borneo Island

Bandar Seri Begawan - The transformation of Brunei International Airport, which is aiming to be the best airport on Borneo island, is set to begin and will be completed in two to three years after the tender process, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) announced yesterday.

Dato Paduka Timothy Ong, acting chairman of the board, said BEDB will create an airport which will meet all of Brunei's requirement for the next 10 years with the assistance of Changi Airports International (CAI).

CAI has been appointed to assist in drawing up the tender specifications and undertake project management with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunel Darussalam, the BEDB said in a statement.

"Our projection is that we will aim to go to tender within three months and from the time of award, (project completion) will be between 24 and 36 months as it also depends on which contractor," Dato Ong said.

The board, which advertised internationally, received expressions of interest from 69 contractors and consortia.

Dato Ong said: "We don't want something that is 'okay'. We want something with a wow factor, so we are not just going for a pass, we're going for distinction. The project will be based on current and projected traffic. We recognise that Brunei doesn't have the traffic of, say, Kuala Lumpur."

Their aim is to create from the existing airport one with high standards, he added.

The acting chairman also stressed that they do not want to build a white elephant.

"We envision between three and seven aerobridges, but the minimum is three," he said.

Dato Ong added that this is a challenging project because the airport will continue to be used while work is being done.

"It is easier in fact to build a new airport, but we don't have the luxury of doing that.

People going in and out of airports can get very upset or agitated if there are delays. So we have to undertake this work smoothly... In order to ensure this is done well, we are engaging one of the world's leading consultants, CAI, to work with us," he added.

Continue reading at: The 'Best Airport' On Borneo Island
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