KUCHING, March 12 — Scoot Pte Ltd (Scoot), a Singapore Airlines subsidiary providing low-cost airline service, will be able to increase its flight frequency between Singapore and Sarawak starting this May after adding new Embraer aircraft to its fleet.
Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said he was informed by Scoot’s Malaysia general manager, Yeo Kaijie, that the airline’s initiative encompasses air connectivity to Miri, Kuching and Sibu, facilitated by its newly acquired Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, which seats 112 passengers.
“Currently, Scoot is only operating its flights from Singapore to Kuching seven times weekly and to Miri three times daily via their Airbus a320 fleet. The carrier expects to increase the scheduled flights to five times weekly to Miri and to Sibu three times weekly via their Embraer aircraft by May and June of this year,” Lee said in a statement today.
The statement was issued after a meeting between Lee and a Scoot delegation led by Yeo at the former’s office at the Baitulmakmur Building here yesterday.
According to Yeo, Scoot is servicing 18 destinations in China and will provide a platform for more Chinese tourists looking for holiday destinations and connections via Singapore.
He added Scoot had also ordered nine Embraer E2 jets to increase its capacity.
Lee said the number of visitors from Singapore to Sarawak increased from 38,743 in 2010 to 46,812 in 2019 before the figure shot up tremendously to 60,760 last year.
He added that it was timely for Scoot to operate to other major towns in Sarawak, such as Sibu, and suggested that the airline increase its Miri scheduled flights to daily flights since it has changed to aircraft with a smaller capacity.
— Bernama
