Pricey airfares make festive homecoming a burden
KUCHING: The high cost of flight tickets is stressing out many East Malaysians residing in Peninsular Malaysia, especially during the festive seasons.
Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, when debating the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, had called upon the government to act on the trend of expensive flight tickets between East Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur over the past two months.
He said expensive flight tickets could stifle integration between the nation’s territories, as people from the peninsula might find it hard to afford to travel to Sabah or Sarawak, or vice versa.
“The government must address this issue through the transport ministry. There must be a way to reduce the incredibly high cost of air travel.
“I think it costs around RM1,050 to get from here to Adelaide. A round trip is around RM2,000.
“But we have to spend RM5,000 to get from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur (and vice versa). It’s too much,” said Riot, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.
In view of this issue, thesundaypost has spoken to several East Malaysians who are currently based in Peninsular Malaysia.
For Tony Thian, this has always been a problem for him since he was a student back in 2015.
“I am currently practising law in Kuala Lumpur, but my roots and families are in Kuching.
“Whenever I need to travel back home, I would have to purchase the tickets at least one month ahead, but this is risky as plans may change.
“A return ticket for Kuala Lumpur-Kuching flight, on normal days, could cost between RM300 to RM400, which is quite reasonable.
“However, the fares during festive seasons like Chinese New Year could shoot up to RM1,000.
“For this Chinese New Year, I’ve spent about RM1,200 just for a return Kuala LumpurKuching trip,” said the lawyer.
Thian said the price surge had affected his travel plans. He used to return to Sarawak every three months, but last year, he only came back once due to the expensive airfare.
“Paying for flight tickets to see my family is definitely worth it, but on the other side, it gets me thinking – if I could spend RM1,200 for a flight ticket to
Kuching, why not fly to Taiwan or Hong Kong, which would cost even less, or about the same price?” he said.
He opined that if the government was planning to boost its tourism industry, especially linking the West and the East, better policies must be drafted and structured.
“If I am thinking of travelling overseas, I’m sure there are more out there who think the same,” said Thian.
Echoing his sentiment, Dr Josephine Juni observed that it was cheaper to fly to Bali, Indonesia than to her home village Kampung Simpok in Padawan near Kuching.
This, she said, would often affect her decision to go back home for the Gawai and Christmas holidays.
“As a doctor who is on contract, I am not eligible to have flight ticket warrants, so affordable airfare is important, especially during festive seasons as those times are the occasions to meet everyone in the family.
“In our line of work, leaves are a luxury, not a privilege. We usually work during Hari Raya, Deepavali and Chinese New Year to give way to those who are celebrating.
“It would be nice if the flight home during Christmas did not cost an arm and a leg,” said Dr Josephine, who currently works at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Josephine added that rising cost of living without any corresponding salary increment further compounded the problem.
For Sabah-born Sonea Clarence, the constant surge in flight ticket prices had always affected her decision whether or not to return to her hometown Tuaran, and this was made even more difficult in that her workplace would only permit any flight request to be submitted only a month in advance.
She pointed out that she had not been back to Sabah since July 2022.
“By the time I was able to buy the tickets, the price would already be sky high. For Christmas last year, I could only apply my leave in October, and by the time I checked the flights, a one-way ticket had gone up to RM600 in December.
“So, I decided not to go back for Christmas,” said the sales administrative personnel, who is now working in Penang.
In this regard, Sonea stressed that there should be an affordable ceiling ticket price set for local airlines.
A return ticket for Kuala Lumpur-Kuching flight, on normal days, could cost between RM300 to RM400, which is quite reasonable. However, the fares during festive seasons like Chinese New Year could shoot up to RM1,000. For this Chinese New Year, I’ve spent about RM1,200 just for a return Kuala Lumpur-Kuching trip.
— Tony Thian, lawyer