Labuan-KK airfare soars to RM1,207, surpassing flights to Seoul, Bangkok
For many in Labuan, air travel is not a luxury but a necessity, yet tickets for the roughly 35-minute domestic flight are being sold at rates as high as RM1,207 for a one-way trip on July 2.
By comparison, longer international flights from Kota Kinabalu to Bangkok, which take about three hours, start at RM411, while flights to Seoul, a journey of over five hours, are priced from RM661.
David Lee, 49, who frequently travels between the two locations for oil and gas business, told Bernama the fares were 'absurd' and 'unacceptable'.
'I was planning my usual trip to Kota Kinabalu for a meeting and was shocked to see fares exceeding RM1,200. How can a flight under one hour cost more than an international trip to Korea?' he said.
Another traveller, Nurul Shafiqah Abdullah, 34, a government officer based in Labuan, said such fare hikes were putting a strain on those who rely on the route for essential reasons.
'This isn't a holiday route. It's a lifeline for many who depend on travelling for medical check-ups, work commitments or family matters. These prices are pushing people to the edge,' she said.
For Raymond Chong, 41, who runs a logistics company, the limited choice of carriers only adds to the frustration.
'It's either MasWings or Malaysia Airlines, sometimes small planes, sometimes a Boeing. There's no real competition, so you either pay or don't go,' he said.
Local entrepreneur Faridah Musa, 45, urged the federal government and aviation authorities to address the pricing mechanism, calling the issue more than just a travel inconvenience.
'We are an island with no road access. Flights are essential, not optional. At this point, it's not just an inconvenience, it's an economic disadvantage for us.'
She said calls are mounting for transparency in fare structures and for greater efforts to introduce more airline competition to ensure affordable travel for the people of Labuan. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
16 minutes ago
- The Star
PM mulls dedicated Law Ministry to strengthen legal ecosystem
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 themed Enhancing Access to Justice in the ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive Growth in the Digital Age in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today. - BERNAMA KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he is seriously considering the establishment of a dedicated Law Ministry to strengthen and enhance the nation's legal ecosystem. In his speech at the Asean Law Forum 2025 here on Thursday (Aug 21), he said that Malaysia was also looking for ways to strengthen its legal architecture.
The Star
21 minutes ago
- The Star
ESG should drive rules, not just reports, says DPM
United stand: Fadillah (fifth from left) joining a group photo with representatives and delegates during the Asean Law Forum in Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Asean's pursuit of energy transition, sustainable water management and climate-resilient infrastructure must be guided by environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles that extend beyond corporate metrics, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said ESG should not be seen merely as a reporting tool for companies, but as a framework that shapes government regulations, institutional enforcement and market behaviour. 'ESG must be more than a corporate metric. It should guide how governments design regulations, how institutions enforce standards and how markets reward responsible behaviour,' he said when delivering his speech at the Asean Law Forum 2025 here yesterday. Fadillah said Asean needs governance systems that match climate ambitions, honour social protection and demand accountability. 'This requires justice systems and dispute resolution mechanisms that are accessible, efficient and fair,' he said. He also welcomed the inclusion of ESG disputes in the forum's agenda, describing it as a timely platform for Asean to strengthen arbitration capacity within global supply chains, Bernama reported. On the broader theme of justice, Fadillah underlined that a 'just transition' in the energy sector must be treated as non-negotiable, ensuring fairness and inclusivity in economic and environmental reforms. He expressed confidence that the Asean Law Forum would generate practical solutions to strengthen cooperation, enhance access to justice and promote inclusive growth across the region. 'When laws are clear, when remedies are accessible and when justice is delivered without fear or favour, we are not just protecting rights, we are building nations, inspiring confidence and shaping a future where growth and equity walk hand in hand,' he added. The three-day forum, which began on Tuesday and hosted under Malaysia's 2025 Asean Chairmanship, provides Asean member states the opportunity to coordinate efforts in building strong and resilient legal institutions and mechanisms, especially in navigating today's uncertain global economic challenges.
Barnama
34 minutes ago
- Barnama
ASEAN Must Strengthen Legal Certainty, Dispute Settlement Mechanisms To Sustain Business Confidence - Sec-Gen
BUSINESS Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn delivers his opening address at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 themed Enhancing Access to Justice in the ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive Growth in the Digital Age in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- ASEAN must strengthen its legal certainty and dispute settlement mechanisms to sustain business confidence as the region advances towards becoming the world's fourth-largest economy by 2030, Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn said today. He noted that ASEAN's economic integration has propelled the region to become the world's fifth-largest economy, with projections indicating its gross domestic product (GDP) to reach about US$4.5 trillion by the end of the decade. 'With this growth comes a parallel responsibility to provide effective and trusted mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes so that investors and businesses can operate in ASEAN with confidence,' Kao said in his opening address at the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 here today. Kao added that over the years, ASEAN member states have advanced their international commercial arbitration as part of the commitment to reinforce the rule of law and accelerate economic integration. ASEAN's progress reflected both regional determination and its alignment with international best practices, he said. Among notable developments that emerged across the region were the adoption of new and revised arbitration laws, potential accession to the 1958 New York Convention, and the adoption of the Singapore Convention on Mediation by the UN General Assembly in December 2018. 'These developments, combined with the growth of mediation and arbitration institutions across ASEAN, demonstrate our world's recognition that arbitration and mediation are not only technical and legal tools. 'These are also vital mechanisms for enhancing trust, ensuring predictability, reducing risk, and reshoring global commerce. Legal certainty and predictability underpin the implementation of our ASEAN economic commitments,' Kao said. He added that ASEAN member states have also discussed and explored matters relating to arbitration laws and practices, including the way forward for an advisory panel on arbitration, standards for international sales of goods, legal infrastructure for e-commerce, and the signing and ratification of the Singapore Convention on Mediation.
