Sarawak<->Indonesia direct flights fewer and fewer

[Giak Selliman 0]

I'm finding it more and more difficult to find direct flights to common destinations I used to take in the past. For instance, my favored KCH<->CGK route which was serviced by QZ is now toast. That really throws a wrench in the gears for me. Now, simply to go from Kuching to Jakarta I have to fly via BA to PNK, then PNK->CGK. All this for something that used to be a simple 1h45m flight. While I'm sure it had load issues, every time I took said flight over the last 2 years it was nearly packed up during December time-frame. Rather than yanking the route, it would have been nice if AA just scaled the route's frequency back.

 

On top of that, any of the other normal routes from the standard players are almost always KCH->KUL->CGK which quite frankly, sucks! Now today I'm trying to schedule flight from CGK->BKI, and checking around - guess what? Only AA makes that flight directly. Otherwise, pay MAS 3 times the price to go all the way to KUL and back to BKI - which for the same reasons as the other flight, sucks! Takes way too much time just to do a simple Borneo<->Java flight.

 

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems very few carriers handle anything between MY and ID unless it's direct hubs like KUL or CGK. If it isn't a major hub, you're screwed. On top of that, if it's anything rural (which I also do), you will find zero rural flights inter-Borneo: that is, Sarawak to Kalimantan. The only flight I know of is the lone Batavia Air route from KCH to PNK, and that is hardly rural. Even something as simple as a BPN route from KCH or MYY would be useful. Probably no market though, sigh. Additionally, the lack of common inter-Borneo access seems misguided to me. Kalimantan and Sarawak are like 2 separate territories (once one) that while even occupying the same island - feel artificially cut off from each other.

 

I know, sour grapes right. I should be happy that AA are at least out there and providing these flights - and in a way I am grateful. But I guess what I'm less grateful about is watching obvious routes disappear and become relegated to hub-spoke model routes that easily double or triple the flight time. On top of that it feels like ease of flight access in/out Sarawak is receding, not growing.

[Y. J. Foo 0]

It's all about demands and economics. If AirAsia finds it unprofitable to operate a route they always will drop it.

 

p/s for future references, AirAsia's IATA code is AK, not AA; AA is for American Airlines. It'd cause a whole lot of confusion if they misinterpret our posts into something like "American Airlines is flying Kuching-Kota Kinabalu"?

 

 

[c.lee 0]

Just to add, IATA code for Batavia Air is Y6. British Airways (BA) does not fly KCH-PNK, and it doesn't even fly to Malaysia.

[flee 5]

Unfortunately it is a fact of commercial life. If there are few passengers for the service, it does not make economic sense to operate a scheduled service. So you will have to take a flight that is more popular. QZ probably had to work very hard to fill the planes.

 

It would seem that KCH does not seem to be doing very well on international routes, e.g. KCH-MFM did not have enough passengers to sustain it as a regular scheduled service.

[Giak Selliman 0]

Yes you're correct guys, sorry for the error. The core issues that I'm trying to bring up are two-fold. One, that KCH continues to dissipate as a hub - and two, Sarawak and Kalimantan feel artificially separated more than they should be. Now, I know it's all economy, demand, etc. based but one would think it'd be mutually beneficial for the two regions to have better connected transportation networks - perhaps increasing intra-Borneo trade, transit, and communication. There's rural connectivity within Sarawak and rural connectivity within Kalimantan, but as far as I know, very little cross-connectedness other than a few bus and informal land/water routes. Obviously the border and two competing nations have a big part in that. Oh and then there's Brunei running their BSB hub out of the north part of the region.

 

It's all so flimsily connected - on the surface it may look like it, in reality: nope.

[Juergen Witte 0]

Well, all comments so far are correct.

 

But ...

Here are my 2 cents:

 

If possible routes are not viable with B737/A320 that´s no reason not to serve them if some basic demand is there.

Something asthonishing for me is the fact that existing operators of smaller aircraft don´t even try to serve such routes.

A hindrance may be that there´s no easy setting up of a route (in terms of traffic rights). Serving such routes with ATR 42/72 or similar aircraft would be economically doable - if all parties involved want that...

Both governments (Indonesia + Malaysia) seem not to be interested in opening up new possibilities - to the benefit of their citizens.

 

Jealousy (that one country may somehow "steal" customers/business/tourists from it´s neighbour) is probably the main reason that there´s no freedom for airlines to serve such routes without applying for traffic rights.

 

Maybe in the future (far away ... ) the situation will change and offer better opportunities when the ASEAN association finally implements open sky policy between all member countries !

 

We´ll have to wait and see ...

Edited November 29, 2010 by Juergen Witte

[alberttky 0]

So far the discussion has been on economics / supply and demand. As far as KCH goes, currently there simply isn't enough to attract more travellers that will justify airlines mounting new services. It's not a super hot tourist city, neither is it a major financial centre. Yes there will be the odd one or two passengers that wants to get to and from KCH directly to other cities, but airlines are also running a business. They can't be bleeding everyday just to serve the few.

[Nick R. 0]

KalStar wanted to serve PNK-KCH-PNK...blocked

Maswings reopening pnk-kch-pnk.....blocked

[Delwin A 0]

KalStar wanted to serve PNK-KCH-PNK...blocked

Maswings reopening pnk-kch-pnk.....blocked

 

Does this means we wont see Kalstar in KCH at all? I really wish to spot their ATR

[Nick R. 0]

guess not bro...been long time waiting..

[Ashmil Abd Ghani 0]

KalStar wanted to serve PNK-KCH-PNK...blocked

Maswings reopening pnk-kch-pnk.....blocked

 

Nick, who block they request/application to operate on KCH-PNK vv sector?? Mesia gomen or another side of gomen??

 

I believe our member MAR had lot of stories can be shared with us between this "2 territories"...

Edited December 1, 2010 by Ashmil Abd Ghani

[Waiping 12]

Nick, who block they request/application to operate on KCH-PNK vv sector?? Mesia gomen or another side of gomen??

 

I believe our member MAR had lot of stories can be shared with us between this "2 territories"...

 

Ya, was surprised to see this also blocked. Thought Maswings was tasked to handle the BIMP-EAGA episode 2?

[Juergen Witte 0]

KalStar wanted to serve PNK-KCH-PNK...blocked

Maswings reopening pnk-kch-pnk.....blocked

 

That´s exactly what i meant ...

 

Some airlines with smaller aircraft still think there´s healthy demand for flights with ATR-sized aircraft but at least one government is blocking ...

 

The Batavia Air flights are basically operated with too big aircraft. So, the airlines has to reduce frequency to keep loads healthy. But if flights would be operated with turboprops significantly higher frequency would be possible - to the benefit of the local public !

[Giak Selliman 0]

KalStar wanted to serve PNK-KCH-PNK...blocked

Maswings reopening pnk-kch-pnk.....blocked

 

Is there any official announcement anywhere of this? I do remember seeing dates for when MASwings would begin operating KCH-PNK, but it's definitely past that date and I see no flights available.

 

And yes, in general, I believe if Sarawak, Sabah, and Kalimantan were to connect their turbo-prop networks, all states would benefit. Borneo is too disconnected from what it should be.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Giak Selliman

[Nick R. 0]

for Maswings, someone asked in their fb page & responded with "no approval"..was also told this to me by someone.

for Kalstar, they were approved to serve pnk-kch-pnk for winter 09-10 (yup,1 year ago!) by malaysian DCA..daily flight sta 1840 std 1910..heard DGCA said no

[Waiping 12]

for Kalstar, they were approved to serve pnk-kch-pnk for winter 09-10 (yup,1 year ago!) by malaysian DCA..daily flight sta 1840 std 1910..heard DGCA said no

 

Ironically sounded like they will approve "when snow falls here".

[Samuel Chy 0]

you block our request, so we block "back" your request?

[Radzi 2]

Maybe the "percentage" is not favorable to somebody?

[Giak Selliman 0]

Sigh. Always the same BS isn't it?

[Giak Selliman 0]

So 5 years later, guess what guys? Pretty much the exact same situation - only this time Batavia is gone and MASWings has picked up the slack from KCH<>PNK. Wasn't AirAsia talking about reintroducing KCH<>CGK at some point? Probably all just talk.

 

I've taken the MASWings flight before and while it's quick - it's usually a delay-crazy hassle on a Garuda flight out to CGK. I think the delay was over 3 hours last time. You know, the problem isn't really PNK or CGK, it's KCH. As mentioned in other threads, it's just not really being used as any kind of significant hub.

 

Weak, lah, weak.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Giak Selliman

[Mohd Firdaus Bolong 0]

Expressair not serving pnk kch route? I thought they took over from batavia air

[Giak Selliman 0]

Yeah it appears Xpress also flies from KCH<>PNK. I plan on using them from PNK to JOG in the future though. So, 2 options now to get to PNK from KCH: MASWings and Xpress.