Megat Ardian Wira, AirBorneo CEO, holds an ATR 72-600 model at the Singapore Airshow.
SINGAPORE—AirBorneo plans to induct its first jet-powered aircraft from the third quarter of 2026 which will enable the rebranded Malaysian carrier to launch international services.
Given the near-term timeline, the Kuching-based airline is evaluating ACMI—aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance—leasing solutions, AirBorneo CEO Megat Ardian Wira says in an interview.
The airline is initially targeting a fleet of three jets. These aircraft would first be deployed on routes on the island of Borneo before expanding across the South China Sea to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and later to the wider Southeast Asia region and beyond.
Megat was speaking at the Singapore Airshow, where AirBorneo placed a firm turboprop order for five ATR 72-600s and three ATR 42-600s to replace its existing fleet of eight ATR 72s. The aircraft are being subsidized by the Sarawak state government and, together with six De Havilland Canada Twin Otters, form the backbone of the state’s Rural Air Services (RAS) network. Under the RAS framework, routes, fares and frequencies are pre-agreed with the government.
The airline aims to use both its future international jet network and its domestic turboprop operations to feed traffic into and out of Sarawak, supporting connectivity and economic development across the state.
Megat says AirBorneo is currently building up internal capabilities related to jet operations, including pilot training, maintenance planning and ground-handling processes, before committing to a long-term aircraft type.
“We are starting from scratch, and we’re not leaning on what was done in the past, because this is an entirely new setup,” he says. “We will go through proper governance and proper studies, and get all of that in place before making any decisions.”
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