KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) network of airports recorded over 10 million passengers in June 2023, the highest since the global shutdown in March 2020.
MAHB’s network of airports in Malaysia and Turkiye continued to showcase consistent passenger growth by recording a new high of 4.9 million total international passenger movements for June 2023, an increase of 7.1 per cent from the preceding month.
Meanwhile, total domestic passenger movements maintained above the 5.0 million mark for the second consecutive month in June 2023 at 5.3 million.
“On the whole, for the first half of 2023 (1H 2023), the group recorded 56.1 million passenger movements, reaching 82 per cent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels over the same corresponding period,” MAHB said in a statement today.
Malaysia Airports managing director Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood said the network of airports is progressing in tandem with the gradual global and regional traffic recovery.
He said the total passenger movements for 1H 2023 for airports in Malaysia recorded 38.9 million passengers as international traffic gained ground supported by positive developments, while the domestic sector continued to lead traffic recovery momentum.
Iskandar also said the recommencement of 45 airlines and the commencement of two new airlines, namely T’way Air and TransNusa, boosted total airlines seat capacity recovery to 75 per cent at 50.5 million in 1H 2023 compared to 1H 2019 at 67.3 million.
“In addition, the total average load factor for 1H 2023 exceeded 1H 2019 by 1.2 percentage points registering at 76.1 per cent, with a higher average load factor recorded each month during 1H 2023 except for the month of Ramadan, providing optimism for further growth in seat capacity towards the path of traffic recovery,” he said.
MAHB said for June 2023, operations in Malaysia recorded close to seven million passenger movements, increasing by two per cent from the preceding month.
International passenger movements in Malaysia for the first time recorded more than three million passengers at 3.2 million, which was also an increase of seven per cent when compared to May 2023.
The traffic momentum for domestic passenger movements continues to record above the three million mark since December 2022.
Malaysia’s performance continues to contribute to nearly 70 per cent of MAHB’s total global passenger movements at 10.2 million passengers last month.
Meanwhile, the Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Turkiye (SAW) reached a significant milestone by recording the highest total passenger movements since March 2020
It grew by 4.4 per cent to 3.3 million passengers for June 2023 and has completely restored to 2019 pre-pandemic levels and 1.5 per cent for 1H 2023.
June 2023 also saw SAW recording another new high for international passenger movements at 7.2 per cent to 1.7 million passengers, while domestic passenger movements registered 3.7 per cent to 1.6 million passengers from the preceding month.
