By PAUL MU
KOTA KINABALU: Indonesia’s Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, Noorman Effendi, said discussions have been held on launching a Kota Kinabalu–Balikpapan flight route to boost tourism in both regions.
Instead of a direct Kota Kinabalu–Surabaya service, which was raised in view of Surabaya hosting the recent Indonesia International Food Expo (EastFood) 2026, Noorman said Balikpapan in East Kalimantan was proposed during a meeting in Jakarta.
He said Balikpapan, which has an international airport, has stronger domestic connectivity to major Indonesian cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar.
“A Kota Kinabalu–Balikpapan route would provide better connections to other parts of Indonesia and would be more convenient for travellers,” he said when met at the Consulate General during the Indonesia’s Marriage for Protection 2.0 programme.
Noorman acknowledged concerns over the Jakarta–Kota Kinabalu route, which is currently operated three times a week by AirAsia.
Although passenger demand remains encouraging, he said high airfares continue to be the main challenge.
He said the load factor is quite good, but ticket prices remain high.
He also said discussions are underway with Lion Group to launch a Tarakan–Tawau flight route in the near future.
Noorman said the Tarakan–Tawau route has strong potential due to frequent cross-border movement of Indonesians through Tawau.
On the Kota Kinabalu–Bali service, he said the route had operated in the past but had been discontinued.
He expressed hope that improving global conditions, including lower fuel prices and reduced geopolitical tensions, would create a more favourable environment for airlines to resume the service.
On the outcome of EastFood 2026, Noorman said several Sabah entrepreneurs had secured potential deals with Indonesian food company Inaco.
He added that after the expo, the Sabah delegation met several food and beverage companies interested in purchasing their products.
“We’ve received updates from several participants we brought to the expo. Some have already secured purchase orders, while others have held discussions with companies interested in buying their products,” he said.
Noorman said more opportunities would be available later this year, with Trade Expo Indonesia scheduled for October, followed by larger food and beverage exhibitions in November.
He said business delegations from Sabah would be invited to participate in the upcoming events to further strengthen trade ties between Sabah and Indonesia.
Noorman said Balikpapan, which has an international airport, has stronger domestic connectivity to major Indonesian cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar.
