Goverment Considers Allowing New Regional Airlines Al-Haadi Abu Bakar | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN | Wednesday, November 20, 2013 THE government is studying to introduce policies that seek to allow the establishment of new regional airlines including low-cost carriers (LCCs) in Brunei that could service BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Indonesia Indonesia Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area) routes in the near future. In a consultation paper on the proposed policy for the establishment of regional aviation service in Brunei, the Ministry of Communications (Mincomm) proposed its plans to allow the establishment of a new airline to service regional routes in response to “positive interest” from local and international companies. “This interest is welcomed and reflects the development of the civil aviation industry that requires a holistic approach and analysis,” the ministry said in the consultation paper. The ministry said it is currently in the process of reviewing its policy on the establishment of a regional airline service registered in Brunei as well as existing services by flag carrier Royal Brunei Airlines (RB). According to the ministry, the approval will depend on the modality that the new airline service will become a business partner and a feeder airline to RB and will complement services for both parties in the region. The new airline will be required to service routes in the BIMP-EAGA region and any route not covered by RB in its current and future plans. The ministry acknowledged some of the low-cost airlines which have grown rapidly in the South Asian region, which include AirAsia, Tiger Airways, Cebu Pacific Air, Nok Air, Lion Air and Adam Air, among others. The consultation paper, which was released yesterday via the ministry’s website, is intended to gather feedback for the ministry to further consolidate policy support for the proposal to allow the setting up of a new registered regional airline service in Brunei. Feedback on the paper will be compiled until December 19, 2013, and the ministry is expected to finalise the new policy early next year. Earlier this year, Brunei-based cooperative Koperasi Bumiputra Bersatu Bhd (KBBB) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council for the proposal to develop a Brunei-based low-cost carrier Darussalam Air. The project, estimated to having an initial investment of RM6.4 billion, is set to begin operations in the first quarter of next year, according to a report by Bernama. The airline is said to primarily offer affordable flights using Airbus A380 planes for prospective Haj and Umrah pilgrims from eastern Indonesia, southern Philippines and parts of China and Indo-China, using Brunei as a stop-over. - The Brunei Times
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 15:49:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015