Kuching: AirBorneo has entered into an agreement with aircraft manufacturer ATR to order eight aircraft, comprising five ATR 72-600s and three ATR 42-600s, with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the agreement, finalized in late 2025, also includes purchase rights for four additional aircraft. This provision offers AirBorneo future growth options beyond the rural air services (RAS) network, with potential regional expansion within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN growth area.

'This marks a significant milestone in AirBorneo's transformation into Sarawak's state-owned airline and its assumption of responsibility for the RAS network, a vital public service that connects remote and underserved communities across Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan,' they said in a joint statement.

The order supports AirBorneo's long-term fleet renewal strategy following the acquisition of MASwings Sdn Bhd by the Sarawak government in 2025 and its subsequent rebranding as AirBorneo. Currently, AirBorneo operates eight ATR 72-500 aircraft inherited from MASwings.