Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim
KUALA LUMPUR: Air passenger traffic in November 2024 hit eight million passengers, a 15.8% increase year-on-year (y-o-y) that pointed towards continued recovery in the country's aviation sector.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) issued a statement noting that the growth was driven primarily by a surge in international travel due to new route launches and expanded seat capacity.
"The introduction of new international routes in November was one of the factors contributing to the overall growth.
"These routes include Kuala Lumpur to Dalat (Vietnam), Nairobi (Kenya), Sri Vijaya Puram (India), and Chiang Rai (Thailand), as well as Kota Kinabalu to Kaohsiung City (Taiwan) and Shantou (China).
"The expansion of seat capacity across key routes also bolstered the sector’s recovery, with international traffic continuing to outpace domestic travel," said the aviation regulator.
Compared to the preceding month of October, however, there was a mild 0.5% decline in air passenger traffic due to the seasonal travel adjustments, as travellers postponed trips to align with the December school holidays.
Domestic air passengers made up 47.5% of the total traffic with 3.8 million passengers recorded, while international air passengers stood at 4.2 million, a 20.7% increase over the same month in 2023.
Cumulatively over 11 months, air passenger traffic reached 88.3 million, which put Malaysia on track to meeting Mavcom's 2024 forecast of 95.4 million to 97.6 million passengers.
Meanwhile, Mavcom reported that major Malaysian airports posted strong year-on-year growth numbers in November.
KL International Airport (KUL) recorded an 18.2% increase, Penang International Airport (PEN) saw a 13.2% rise, Senai International Airport (JHB) grew 14.9%, Langkawi International Airport (LGK) reported an 8.1% increase, while Kuching International Airport (KCH) and Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) posted YoY increases of 9.7% and 12.8%, respectively.
Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) recorded the highest y-o-y growth at 42.1%.
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the November air traffic results underscore the positive growth through the year, with international connectivity playing a key role.
He added that the expansion of new routes and consistent enhancements in capacity have strengthened Malaysia's international air connectivity.
"We are confident that this momentum will carry forward in 2025, as Mavcom remains committed to fostering a sustainable, resilient aviation industry that supports economic growth, elevates service quality, and safeguards consumer rights," said Saripuddin.
