AirBorneo Among Four New Airlines Allocated Thailand Winter 2026/2027 Flight Slots - CAAT

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- Sarawak-owned airline AirBorneo has been allocated flight slots for Thailand's Winter 2026/2027 schedule, making it one of four new airlines granted operating slots by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

The Thai aviation regulator said AirBorneo, together with Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air, the United Kingdom's Virgin Atlantic and Moldova's SkyUp Nistru, were among the new carriers allocated flight times for the season.

“These will provide more travel options and promote air connectivity between Thailand and various regions of the world,” it said in a statement posted on its official website. 

According to the website, AirBorneo is expected to operate the Kuching-Suvarnabhumi-Kuching route as part of the Winter 2026/2027 flight schedule.

The allocation was coordinated during the 158th Slot Conference organised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Bangkok from June 9-11 to manage airport allocation slots for the Winter 2026/2027 flight schedule.

CAAT said these flight routes would enhance the country's tourism, trade and investment potential, support air connectivity between Thailand and major cities worldwide, and promote Thailand's role as a regional aviation hub.

CAAT, which serves as the slot coordinator for Thailand's major Tier 3 airports, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Samui, said 87 of 146 airlines participating in the conference requested meetings to discuss flight scheduling and operational plans in Thailand.

European airlines, the Middle Eastern and American groups, the Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States and the Asia Pacific groups, including Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Hong Kong Airlines and Cebu Pacific met with CAAT officials.

There is no official announcement from AirBorneo on this.

AirBorneo, which currently operates Rural Air Services, has laid out plans to launch jet operations with three destinations from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Kota Kinabalu.

However, any jet destination would need AirBorneo to secure the necessary regulatory approvals and operational preparations from the respective authorities. 

-- BERNAMA