Rural Air Services
The Rural Air Services (RAS) is defined as a non-economic air services carried out in remote and sparsely populated areas of Sabah and Sarawak, where air transport is their primary mode of transport and connection with the outside world. RAS was set up in an effort to fulfil the social needs of communities living in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak while functioning as a national service to these communities.
MASwings was appointed by the Government of Malaysia to manage, operate, maintain and provide RAS services in October 2007 via the signing of the RAS Agreement. The cost for the operation of RAS by MASwings is fully borne by the Government of Malaysia in the form of subsidies and aircraft lease rental.
The Government of Malaysia on 4 January 2019 signed a new agreement with MASwings, namely the Public Service Obligation Agreement for RAS (PSO for RAS) to continue providing RAS operations in Sabah and Sarawak for a period of 6 years, from 2019 to 2024. This agreement comprises the rationalization of the service in line with the review by Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM).
MASwings currently provides services for 40 routes ini Sabah and Sarawak using the ATR72 and Twin Otter Viking Aircraft.
Routes operated by MASwings under Schedule 1 of the RAS Agreement are listed as follows:
ATR72-500
| |
Routes
|
Aircraft
|
Weekly Frequency
|
| |
SARAWAK (Internal)
|
|
1
|
Miri – Mulu
|
ATR 72-500
|
14
|
|
2
|
Miri – Limbang
|
ATR 72-500
|
21
|
|
3
|
Miri – Bintulu
|
ATR 72-500
|
14
|
|
4
|
Miri – Sibu
|
ATR 72-500
|
28
|
|
5
|
Bintulu – Sibu
|
ATR 72-500
|
14
|
|
6
|
Kuching – Mulu
|
ATR 72-500
|
7
|
|
7
|
Kuching – Limbang
|
ATR 72-500
|
3
|
| |
SABAH (Internal)
|
|
8
|
KK - Lahad Datu
|
ATR 72-500
|
35
|
|
9
|
Sandakan – Tawau
|
ATR 72-500
|
14
|
|
10
|
KK – Labuan
|
ATR 72-500
|
28
|
|
11
|
Lahad Datu – Sandakan
|
ATR 72-500
|
14
|
| |
SABAH/SARAWAK (Interstate)
|
|
12
|
Miri – Labuan
|
ATR 72-500
|
35
|
|
13
|
KK – Mulu
|
ATR 72-500
|
7
|
Twin Otter
| |
Routes
|
Aircraft
|
Weekly Frequency
|
| |
SARAWAK (Internal)
|
|
1
|
Miri – Lawas
|
Twin Otter
|
38
|
|
2
|
Limbang – Lawas
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
3
|
Miri – Ba'kelalan
|
Twin Otter
|
3
|
|
4
|
Lawas – Ba'kelalan
|
Twin Otter
|
3
|
|
5
|
Miri – Bario
|
Twin Otter
|
14
|
|
6
|
Marudi – Bario
|
Twin Otter
|
7
|
|
7
|
Miri – Marudi
|
Twin Otter
|
24
|
|
8
|
Miri – Long Lellang
|
Twin Otter
|
3
|
|
9
|
Marudi – Long Lellang
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
10
|
Miri – Long Akah
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
11
|
Marudi – Long Akah
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
12
|
Bario – Ba'kelalan
|
Twin Otter
|
1
|
|
13
|
Sibu – Mukah
|
Twin Otter
|
3
|
|
14
|
Mukah – Miri
|
Twin Otter
|
7
|
|
15
|
Mukah – Bintulu
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
16
|
Mukah – Kuching
|
Twin Otter
|
28
|
|
17
|
Miri – Long Seridan
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
18
|
Marudi – Long Seridan
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
19
|
Miri – Long Banga
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
20
|
Marudi – Long Banga
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
21
|
Kuching – Tanjong Manis
|
Twin Otter
|
7
|
|
22
|
Bario – Long Seridan
|
Twin Otter
|
1
|
|
23
|
Bario – Long Lellang
|
Twin Otter
|
1
|
| |
SABAH (Internal)
|
|
24
|
KK – Kudat
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
|
25
|
Kudat – Sandakan
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
| |
SABAH/SARAWAK (Interstate)
|
|
26
|
KK – Limbang
|
Twin Otter
|
3
|
|
27
|
KK – Lawas
|
Twin Otter
|
2
|
Routes operated by MASwings under Schedule 1 of the RAS Agreement are listed as follows:
The route of the aircraft AT R7 2-500
Sabah (Internal)
Sarawak (Internal)
Sabah/Sarawak(Interstate)
Route Otter Aeroplane
Sabah (Internal)
Sarawak (Internal)
Sabah/Sarawak(Interstate)
