Royal Brunei Airlines focuses on regional growth as restructuring phase ends, new 5-year plan begins

Royal Brunei Airlines is preparing a new five year business plan which will see it pursue expansion of its regional network within Asia-Pacific. The government-owned flag carrier, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, enters a new chapter after completing a restructuring and renewing its widebody fleet.

Royal Brunei (RB) is now evaluating several potential new destinations for 2016 and beyond. Expansion will be made possible mainly by a larger narrowbody fleet, which will grow from six to nine aircraft in the new five-year plan, as well as the delivery of a fifth 787.

The focus will be on expanding regional operations within Asia as RB is unlikely to expand its long-haul network despite performance improvements following the transition to 787s. But the new A320neo fleet will open up opportunities for new medium-haul routes to Australia, South Asia and North Asia.