Royal Brunei Airlines: Flying With the Sultanate's Flag Carrier, Fleet and Service

The fleet

Royal Brunei Airlines' long-haul fleet consists entirely of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, a choice that ensures cabin consistency on most intercontinental routes to Europe, Australia and East Asia, flanked by Airbus A320neos on the shorter regional routes in Southeast Asia.

History and positioning

Founded in 1974 and wholly owned by the government of Brunei, it operates from Bandar Seri Begawan International Airport. Its onboard service reflects the principles of the country's Islamic law: no alcohol is served on any flight, a distinctive feature compared with most full-service Asian carriers.

Routes and network

The Bandar Seri Begawan stopover is convenient for those combining Brunei with destinations in Australia or New Zealand, but the destination network remains smaller than that of the big competing Asian carriers, with limited frequencies on certain European destinations, often seasonal rather than year-round.

On board and service

Onboard service is described as attentive and respectful of local customs, appreciated in particular by those looking for a calmer travel experience. The dry cabin policy, with no alcohol on any route, remains the most distinctive element compared with any other Asian carrier of comparable size.

What passengers like

• Uniform and relatively recent Dreamliner cabins across most of the long-haul network.
• Onboard service described as attentive and respectful of local customs, appreciated in particular by those looking for a calmer travel experience.
• A Bandar Seri Begawan stopover that is convenient for those combining Brunei with destinations in Australia or New Zealand.

What to consider before booking

• A total absence of alcohol on board, a detail that some non-Muslim travelers report as unexpected if not informed in advance.
• A smaller destination network than the big competing Asian carriers, with less choice of schedules on some routes.
• Limited frequencies on certain European destinations, often seasonal rather than year-round.

Royal Brunei Airlines is a good option for those looking for a long-haul flight with a modern cabin who want to stop over in or visit Brunei on the way to Australia. It is not suitable for anyone who considers alcohol part of the long-haul travel experience, given the dry cabin policy on all flights.

If your itinerary includes a long stopover in Bandar Seri Begawan, check in advance the stopover options the airline offers: they may include access to local facilities at no significant extra cost.