AirBorneo (MY, Kuching) has placed a firm order for eight ATR - Avions de Transport Régional aircraft, comprising five ATR72-600s and three ATR42-600s, to modernise its fleet dedicated to rural air services (RAS) in East Malaysia.
According to a statement issued during the 2026 Singapore Airshow on February 3, the deal also includes purchase rights for four additional aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2029. The order was finalised in late 2025, shortly after the local government of the Sarawak state completed its acquisition of the regional carrier, then known as MASwings, and its RAS network from Malaysia Aviation Group.
The new turboprops will replace the carrier's ageing fleet, which, according to ch-aviation data, consists of eight ATR72-500s, which are 16.6 years old on average, and six DHC-6-400s averaging 12.3 years of age. These aircraft were inherited from MASwings.
"Our new ATR -600 fleet will significantly strengthen the rural air services network by offering improved comfort, greater efficiency, and the operational capability required for regional connectivity in East Malaysia," AirBorneo CEO Megat Ardian said. He added that the mixed fleet allows the airline to right-size capacity across its route network.
The purchase rights included in the agreement are intended for potential regional expansion within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
AirBorneo formally began operations under its new identity on January 2, 2026. The airline is wholly owned by the state government of Sarawak and is tasked with providing essential connectivity to remote communities in Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan.
Parallel to its turboprop renewal, the airline is pursuing jet operations. The state-owned carrier plans to acquire at least three jet aircraft by 2027 to launch routes connecting East Malaysia with Peninsular Malaysia, followed by international services to Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.
