SARAWAK is looking to restart flights from here to neighbouring Kalimantan.
State Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Karim Hamzah said the state government has approached Air Asia on this.
"The Indonesian Government has just recently approved the opening of Kalimantan airspace for direct flights from Sarawak.
"We on the Sarawak side wants to re-establish direct flights from Kuching to Pontianak in Kalimantan as soon as possible.
"This Kuching-Pontianak route is an increasingly important link for social, economic and business ties between Sarawak and Kalimantan,” he said.
He said there has been significant increase in cross-border trading and movement of people.
"Now it takes about four to five hours by road from Kuching to Pontianak.
"With flights restarted, travel time is only about 30 mins either direction," he told reporters after a tourism event in Kuching.
Karim said the Kuching-Pontianak-Kuching flights had been stopped for more than 10 years.
"Since the Indonesian Government is reopening the Kalimantan airspace for air links again with Sarawak, we need Air Asia and other Malaysian airlines to help out.
"We have started discussions with Air Asia for the Kuching-Pontianak daily flights," he said.
Karim said once Sarawak kickstarts its own Air Borneo airline operation, it will plan more air links with Kalimantan destinations. – June 22, 2025
