KUALA LUMPUR – Three more airlines – British Airways, Vietjet Air and 9 Air – are to begin operations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) by the end of the year, while Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is working to attract more carriers to service the country’s main gateway.
This is part of efforts to expand KLIA’s connectivity which is now served by 70 airlines.
“The group is actively pursuing 15 more foreign carriers to operate in the country over the next two years, aiming to elevate KLIA as a preferred international hub,” MAHB said in a statement.
MAHB also recorded 11.2 million passengers in May in 39 Malaysian airports and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) in Turkey, all of which are under its management. This is a 5.1% increase over pre-pandemic figures in May 2019.
“This achievement marks the fifth consecutive month with over 10 million total passengers,” MAHB said.
Its airports in Malaysia saw 7.7 million passenger movements in May, of which four million were international passengers.
The four million foreign travellers is a 2% increase from the 3.9 million passengers in the previous month, MAHB said.
The rise in airport traffic overall was due to MAHB’s investments to allow landing fee waivers, rebates for airport office rentals and marketing support.
For Malaysia-China routes alone, it has allocated about RM3 million as part of efforts to enhance connectivity and attract more airlines.
Higher passenger traffic in May was also attributed to several factors, such as the extension of visa-free travel to China.
AirAsia had also launched new services from KLIA to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad, and Juneyao Air from Penang International Airport (PEN) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), each flying four times weekly.
“There were also resumption of AirAsia flights from KLIA to Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) in Bhubaneswar and China Eastern Airlines to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH), both with thrice weekly frequencies. These developments have significantly bolstered international travel,” MAHB said.
Meanwhile, domestic traffic at local airports remained steady with 3.7 million passengers recorded last month.
“This consistency in domestic travel highlights robust demand supported by enhanced connectivity and continuous improvements in airport services,” MAHB said.
At Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, MAHB reported total passenger movements of 3.5 million in May, marking a 3% increase from the previous month. – June 25, 2024