KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia witnessed a substantial increase in air passenger traffic, with numbers reaching 8.1 million in February.
This marks a notable 12.6% month-on-month (m-o-m) surge compared to January 2024, which recorded 7.19 million passengers.
This growth also represents a significant 34.8% year-on-year increase compared to February 2023, which saw 6.01 million passengers, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) said in a statement.
“Of the 8.1 million, 7.81 million, or 96.5%, constitute passenger traffic at all airports operated by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).”
“The remaining 0.29 million passengers, or 3.6%, represent movements at Senai International Airport, operated by Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd,” it said.
Mavcom said the data showed notable m-o-m growth across all regions, with domestic passenger traffic leading with a 20.4% increase, from 3.32 million in January to 3.99 million in February 2024.
“International passenger traffic saw a positive m-o-m growth rate of 5.9%.
“This growth can be attributed to various factors, including the Chinese New Year festive period, the month-long school break, and the establishment of 30-day visa exemptions for tourists from China and India, which collectively stimulated travel demand.
“Domestic and international passenger traffic contributed to 49.3% and 50.7% of overall traffic in February 2024 respectively, marking a 3.2 percentage point increase in domestic passenger traffic share compared with January 2024,” it said.
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the aviation sector is on a trajectory towards robust recovery, with air passenger traffic for February 2024 showcasing a significant upturn.
“The present data indicates that the demand for air travel in Malaysia may reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024 and potentially surpass them in 2025.
“However, the current aircraft capacity remains a pressing issue due to supply chain disruption, causing delays in aircraft deliveries.
“Therefore, it is imperative that airlines meticulously plan their network and allocate their resources efficiently,” he added.
In addition, Saripuddin said airport operators must ensure that existing infrastructures are sufficient and able to accommodate the increased demand to maintain a high degree of service quality. – April 1, 2024