Up to airlines on direct flight to Sandakan

KOTA KINABALU: It is up to the airline companies if they want to provide direct flights to and from Sandakan, said Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming yesterday.

When asked by reporters if his ministry would help to realise the establishing of direct flights to Sandakan from international destinations, like Singapore, Pang said that while the ministry welcomed such idea, it had to be understood that airline companies were private entities and they would only be proactive to the idea if they see the viability of such a decision.

“It is up to the studies that they carry out. We have proposed to AirAsia and also to Malaysia Airlines before … but they didn’t think it was viable,” he said.

He added that having direct flights from international origins have a huge impact on the tourism sector of the destination.

“There will be a hike in tourism arrivals,” he said, citing one of the impacts that would take place.

Pang said his ministry would continue to promote other destinations in Sabah to airline companies and discuss with them the sustainability of such flights.

Source : The Borneo Post