AIRASIA’S has had to slash the number of its popular Kuching-Kuala Lumpur-Kuching flights per week from 56 to 14 to comply with the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee’s directive for airlines to cut flights as the state reimposes travel restrictions due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and budget carrier Malindo’s frequencies of seven flights weekly on the same route, however, remain untouched.

The committee had on Monday decided to reduce the frequency of flights into and out of the state for all airlines, as well as flights within Sarawak, over fears that a spike in coronavirus infections might cause a shortage of space for passengers who have to undergo mandatory quarantine on arrival.

It is now mandatory for all travellers, including Sarawakians, from the peninsula, Labuan, Sabah and overseas, to be quarantined on arrival and be tested for Covid-19.

The minimum stay in quarantine is three days, as the first RT-PCR test is taken on the second day after their arrival. If they test negative, they will be released.

Yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah had said on average, there were 1,800 arrivals by air before the order to cut the flights.

Uggah, who is also the chairman of the state Disaster Management Committee, had also said there was some suspicion that the source of Covid-19 spike in the state is asymptomatic travellers.

Since the middle of this month, the state has detected 99 new infections, nearly all in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian.

The districts have now been declared red zones.

The state’s Transport Minister Lee Kim Shin in a statement today said the frequency of AirAsia flights from Bintulu to Kuala Lumpur has also been reduced from 14 weekly to seven, while its Miri-Kuala Lumpur route has been slashed from 21 to seven flights per week.

The budget airline’s Miri to Kota Kinabalu sector now flies five times weekly from the 10 before the directive, and the Miri to Johor sector cut by one to two flights a week.

Singapore budget carrier Scoot’s one weekly Singapore-Kuching-Singapore flight remains unchanged. 

Most routes on rural air service flights are also unchanged.

Lee said in view of the travel restrictions in effect for two weeks beginning this Saturday, those intending to travel between red and green zones must obtain a police permit before purchasing their tickets.

Police permits are also required for those who bought air tickets earlier for travel on and after August 1.

He said the police permit requirement applies to travel by air, water (express boats) and land, including regional bus services.

“It is incumbent upon airline companies, express boat operators and regional bus companies to make sure that only passengers with police permits are allowed to board their carriers and travel between the two zones.”

Lee also said the relevant enforcement agencies, such as the Sarawak Rivers Board, Road Transport Department and police have been directed to monitor compliance to the directive. – July 29, 2020.