Teo CK

https://www.theborneopost.com/2022/12/16/wildlife-adventure-in-sabah-by-private-jet/ Here's a report by the local press about the TF-FIC visit to SDK.

I think Bintulu is more a business destination (oil & gas) than a tourist place.

I was thinking exactly the same thing when I saw the name Hainan.......

The race is on between SDK and BTU to see who will join the million pax club first haha...

Will RBA be the next Cathay Dragon after this?

So both SIN - IPH and JHB - IPH starting Dec?

i thought these few routes to the chinese cities are only chartered flights?

Seems to me Malindo likes to follow the "footstep" of Airasia instead of introducing new and "untested" route. Whats the chances of this Wuhan route will not suffer the same fate as their Spore's one?

Direct flight yes..... but from Kuching? whats the strategy here? like I say, the growth in TWU in the past 4-5 years is entirely fueled by the arrival of chinese tourists heading to Semporna. So shouldn't the direct flight be targeting at this market instead? 1) Sandakan airport currently handled about 950K pax annually with a capacity of 1.5 - 2 million pax a year, so there is room to grow further. However, the current runway length of 7000ft means it can't really handle flights beyond 3 hrs flying time. 2) TWU has exploded this past few years with the influx of chinese tourists heading to Semporna. TWU is estimated to handle close to 1.5 mil by end of this year and the airport terminal and parking apron is in need of an upgrade. Its 8800ft runway is long enough to handle the demand. 3) With Sabah Tourism Board estimate that close to 400K tourists (mainly chinese) visited Semporna last year, if all passed thru TWU (both departing n arriving), means close to 800K pax handled by TWU were actually going to Semporna. So maybe better off building a smaller ATR ready airport for Tawau instead of Semporna and renamed TWU to SMM haha........

What's the rationale on this? Pax heading to Tawau is almost entirely due to Chinese tourists heading straight to Semporna, not sure how TWU-KCH will works. They might be better fly TWU-CAN direct.

Do u know the date for the last flight of these 2 routes?

Do pm me when you have another group planning to come over haha.... =)

If u can find me the tourists, I'll find u the tour buses 😂😂

surprisingly, most seafood restaurants were opened during this CNY period....

On 16 Feb, 9M-LNT operated as OD8608 arrived in SDK from BKI at 0120hr, then depart for TPE as OD8160 at 0200hr, return as OD8161 at 0630hr, arriving at SDK at 0940hr. Later tonight, OD8160 will depart SDK at 2100hr, while OD8161 will depart TPE at 0130hr.

I was told there was some load restriction in terms of check-in luggage limit, ie 15kg per pax. and yes, the OD plane did BKI-SDK / SDK-BKI with empty load for this chartered arrangement. On a separate note, CM said during a CNY open house that there is a delay in the runway extension project due to insufficient funding...... well i bet there will be another ground breaking ceremony V2.0 just before election day. cheers Try this: https://www.facebook.com/sandakantourism/videos/997321403751185/

A first ever international chartered flight SDK-TPE-SDK usher in the year of dog when the Malindo Operated OD8160 flight arrived at SDK at 945am on 16 Feb, the first day of CNY, carrying around 160 pax http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/02/16/first-special-direct-charter-flight-sandakan-brings-160-tourists-taiwan Here's a link to the water salute ceremony during the arrival to SDK https://www.facebook.com/hasnor.hideakirizwan/videos/1743003739053299/ cheers!

The A350 will not be serving any domestic route once it starts the long haul to LHR i assumed?

cant agree more. Maswings has been in operation for more than 10 years now, but operation wise it has not moved an inch forward in terms of coverage and route.

The salvage from subang had been dismantled when they upgraded the terminal 2 yrs ago. They installed 2 new glass-wall type aerobridges as replacement, which is similar to those in use at BKI.

yeah... 1200ft to be exact.

Here are some photos of the airport taken recently. https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/33743235664/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34455381651/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34544721736/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34586099765/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34424040232/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34199777210/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34544602406/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/34544711036/in/dateposted-public/ Here's the plan for the proposed runway extension, taken by a friend who was present at the ceremony last week. Alas, this is the best pic he has got of the plan..... https://www.flickr.com/photos/48208213@N00/33749057384/in/dateposted-public/ cheers

Here's the news today.... http://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/05/237062/najib-wants-sandakan-airport-runway-extension-work-start-next-month RM80mil for the extension, but scope of upgrade not specified. cheers

Just heard that PM Najib will be back in Sandakan this weekend to officiate the ground breaking ceremony for the SDK runway extension project..... talking about election efficiency ya..... haha....