New regional airline proposed in Brunei

The Bruneian Ministry of Communications is seeking public feedback on a proposed regional airline which will be registered in Brunei, and will complement the national carrier as a feeder airline. A consultation paper, which will be accessible from today via the ministry’s website (www.mincom.gov.bn), will discuss the rationale behind the policy proposal. The ministry is seeking comments from the public and other stakeholders on aspects such as the best business models for Brunei’s aviation industry and whether there is enough demand and supply in the region to sustain the operations of the proposed airline. “This consultation paper is intended to gather feedback for the Ministry of Communications to further consolidate policy support for the proposal to allow the setting up of a new registered regional airline service in the country,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday. “The approval will also depend on the modality that this new airline service will become a business partner and a feeder airline to Royal Brunei, that will complement services for both parties in the region,” it added. Director of Transportation Dr Hj Supry Ladi, who has also been tasked to lead the ministry’s new Research and Development Division, told The Brunei Times, the policy proposal also considers interests from parties who have expressed their intent to set up a regional airline registered here. He added he will be carrying out seminars or dialogues with stakeholders over the coming months to gather public feedback and opinions for the formulation of the policy proposal. “This paper is also intended to gather community consensus and to enable the Ministry of Communications to identify options which are in the best interests of the nation,” the ministry’s press release said. Feedback on the paper will be compiled until December 19, 2013, it added. These views can be submitted to the ministry via email , [email protected] or [email protected] or via fax at 2380884. The feedback is also hoped to “encourage aviation services in Brunei to become more competitive, dynamic, controlled and compliant to international standards and to further consolidate aviation connectivity regionally to encourage further economic growth through tourism and trade”.