Recently, the Sarawak government in Malaysia officially announced the acquisition of Flywing Airlines, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, and renamed it Borneo Airlines. This move marks Sarawak becoming the first state in Malaysia to have its own airline, giving it a foothold in the regional and international aviation markets.

It is reported that the Sarawak government's acquisition of Flywing Airlines aims to further expand Sarawak's aviation network and strengthen its connections with the international market by owning its own airline company. The new AirBorneo will operate as a regional airline, gradually opening routes to Sarawak, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bali, and Hong Kong. In addition, Borneo Airlines also plans to open routes to cities in Chinese Mainland, such as Shenzhen, which will greatly improve the transportation convenience between Sarawak and surrounding countries and regions.

Mohamad Abubaka, Secretary of Sarawak State and Chairman of Borneo Airlines, stated that the Sarawak government has high hopes for this acquisition and hopes that the establishment of Borneo Airlines will bring more economic opportunities and development space to Sarawak. Meanwhile, Mohamad Abubaka also revealed that although the agreement to acquire Flywing Airlines has been signed, the subsequent procedures and preparations are still very complicated. Therefore, Borneo Airlines is expected to be officially operational by the end of this year or early next year.

In the process of acquiring Flywing Airlines, the Sarawak government received strong support from Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines' Managing Director, Azhan Ismail, stated that Malaysia Airlines will continue to maintain a cooperative relationship with Borneo Airlines to ensure the smooth takeover of the relevant business of Flywing Airlines. At the same time, Malaysia Airlines will also provide professional knowledge and experience support to Borneo Airlines to help them maintain a high level of service quality.

Malaysian Minister of Transport, Lu Zhaofu, also expressed appreciation and support for this acquisition. He pointed out that Feiyi Airlines has always been responsible for providing aviation services in Sabah and Sarawak regions. After the Sarawak government takes over, the newly established Borneo Airlines will continue its existing air services and further expand its route network. The federal government will continue to provide subsidies to support the development of Borneo Airlines, of which RM209 million has been allocated as relevant subsidies this year.

Sarawak Transport Minister Li Jingsheng stated that it took the Sarawak government over a year to complete the acquisition. Although the acquisition process has been completed, the subsequent work is still very heavy. Borneo Airlines needs to change the airline name, reapply for permits, arrange pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel, and handle ticket booking systems. Therefore, Borneo Airlines will not be officially put into operation until the end of this year at the earliest.