Batik Air will double Bintulu-Kuala Lumpur flights to two daily from July 20, meeting rising demand and addressing airfare concerns.
KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Air will increase its Bintulu-Kuala Lumpur service to two daily flights beginning July 20, offering passengers greater flexibility and convenient travel options, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said.
The additional daily flight was confirmed following active communication and coordination with the airline to address public concerns over airfare prices and flight availability, he added.
“The recent sudden reduction in flights and soaring airfares have prompted frequent public feedback. Originally, I pushed for the addition of two daily flights (but) after negotiations, the airline decided to first implement a fixed additional daily flight, allocating the appropriate capacity and suitable time slots for the service.
“If passenger demand continues to grow in the future, the feasibility of adding another flight will be further evaluated, which could potentially increase the frequency to three times a day,” he posted on Facebook today.
Tiong said with the new schedule, flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bintulu will depart at 10 am and 2.30 pm daily, while flights from Bintulu to Kuala Lumpur will depart at 1.10 pm and 5.40 pm.
He explained that Bintulu’s steady economic development had driven growing demand for travel related to business, education, medical treatment and tourism and that he had conveyed the concerns of various sectors of the community over the need for sufficient flights and reasonable airfares to the airline.
He also urged the airline to ensure stable flight operations while increasing frequency to avoid frequent cancellations or last-minute schedule changes that could disrupt passengers’ travel plans.
“During the coordination process, I suggested that they maintain reasonably priced airfares as much as market conditions allow. This is vital to ease the economic burden on the public traveling between the two locations and to prevent high ticket prices from becoming a long-term strain.
“I firmly believe that as ticket prices gradually stabilize, it will help drive growth in passenger traffic, creating a win-win situation for both the airline and its passengers,” he said.
He said improving aviation services requires close cooperation between the government, airlines and relevant authorities, adding that the public is primarily concerned with having more flight options and affordable fares.
“This increase in flights will not only help alleviate the current supply shortage but will also further facilitate Bintulu residents traveling to and from Peninsular Malaysia and other domestic regions, meeting our ever-growing demand for travel,” he added.
