KOTA KINABALU: MASwings will stop flying between Tawau and Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, effective Oct 30.
MASwings chief operating officer Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar said the company has decided to discontinue its operations into Tarakan.
The decision was made following the suspension of the thrice-weekly flights into Tarakan since March 22, 2020, following to the Movement Control Order (MCO) and closure of international borders enforced by the Malaysian government, following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nasaruddin said the slump in travel demands due to travel restrictions and uncertainties, even after the travel market is slowly recovering, has weighed heavily on the company's ability to continue operations into Tarakan.
"Despite efforts put in place as the borders open, it is an extremely challenging operating condition and it is no longer commercially viable for MASwings to continue operations.
"Since we started flying into Tarakan in Feb, 2012, MASwings has recorded a moderate passenger load, allowing us to sustain the operations to this route.
"MASwings wishes to record and express its heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to our customers and stakeholders who have supported MASwings and its Tarakan operations," he said in a statement.