Kota Kinabalu, April 25 (NNN-Bernama) Travelling tourists and businessmen from Philippines’ Zamboanga City to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia may soon be able to cut travel cost and time as regular flights along this route are set to resume next month.

In support of enhancing traffic movement within Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and the East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Asian Spirit, a domestic passenger airline, will start flying the Zamboanga-Sandakan route from May 7 twice weekly for the first two weeks and this will subsequently be increased to thrice a week.

According to a statement issued by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) Wednesday, the airline will also operate the Zamboanga-Jolo route from May 1 and between Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi from May 2.

Asian Spirit has scheduled Monday-Wednesday-Friday flights from Zamboanga to Jolo and Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday flights from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi.

The Zamboanga-Sandakan flights will also follow the Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule.

John Baricuatro, head of Asian Spirit Davao, said the air links needed to be increased in support of the growing demand for air traffic in these areas, particularly Zamboanga and Sandakan.

“We are re-establishing our links between Zamboanga and Sandakan because we see growing business opportunities within these areas,” Baricuatro said, adding that the more than one million population in Sabah offered bright prospects for air travel between Zamboanga to Sandakan.

In a meeting with MEDCo Tuesday, Baricuatro cited the need for strong government support as airline industry players endeavour to serve the skies of EAGA.

The Mindanao-Malaysia route was previously served by South Phoenix Airways which started operations in December 2004 until July 2005.

In 2006, a Filipino-Russian joint venture Mosphil Aero revived the link but the move was not sustained.

Asian Spirit’s flight of one hour and 40 minutes from Zamboanga-Sandakan offers an alternative to the 14-hour sea travel by the SRN Fast Seacraft and Alesson Shipping Lines. It also offers a cheaper flight option to the Kota Kinabalu-Clark (Pampanga)-Manila-Zamboanga route taken by most traders.

Baricuatro said the Zamboanga-Sandakan route provides an alternative link between Sandakan and other economic centres in EAGA such as Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in Malaysia, Tawi-Tawi in the Philippines and Brunei.

To help ensure a viable operating cost for its first two years, Asian Spirit is requesting the Malaysian authorities to waive the airport tax, parking fees and landing charges at the Sandakan International Airport, he said.

This incentive, he added, will help the airline maintain reasonable operating cost for the development of the route as well as other air routes in the BIMP-EAGA.

BIMP-EAGA countries have been pushing for the expansion of air links in the sub-region in an effort to promote and enhance intra-regional trade, tourism and investment cooperation among the focus areas.

The provision of air services in the BIMP-EAGA is envisioned to bring about greater accessibility, facilitate mobility of peopleand enhance the flow of goods and commodities in addition to attracting investors to locate in the sub-region.

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