Strong presence: Foreign airlines seen at KLIA. — NG KOK LEONG/ The Star
SUBANG JAYA: Malaysia’s aviation industry is poised for a 4% increase in overall passenger movement, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
He said the expansion of airline fleets and the return of foreign carriers are fuelling growth.
“Malaysia recorded a strong 12.7% growth in passenger numbers in August compared to the same period last year, reaching 8.7 million passengers,” he said.
Loke added that this growth aligns with global trends, where many regions have exceeded pre-pandemic air traffic levels.
“By the end of this year, we expect connectivity to the Asia-Pacific region to be fully restored.
“Looking ahead, we anticipate a 10.4% year-on-year increase in global passenger numbers for 2024,” said Loke.
He also said that global demand for air travel will rise by an average of 4.3% annually over the next two decades.
“This increase will generate 15.5 million direct jobs and contribute US$1.5 trillion to the global GDP by 2036,” he said.
Loke said the air cargo sector expects year-on-year growth of 6% to 6.6% in 2024, totalling around 20 billion freight tonne-kilometres.
“This growth is driven by factors such as China’s recovery, the upturn in the global technology cycle and economic stabilisation,” he said.
Speaking at the International Civil Aviation Organisation Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN) 2024, Loke highlighted that Malaysia’s aviation sector is recovering and preparing for future growth.
“We are focused on improving operations and the passenger experience at our airports as we look ahead to major events like the Asean Chairmanship in 2025 and Visit Malaysia Year 2026,” he said.
Currently, 72 airlines operate flights to Malaysia, connecting 119 outbound destinations.
Loke mentioned the implementation of incentive schemes for new airlines, new routes and increased flight frequencies to boost air traffic even further.
He also said that Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the country’s main airport operator, is making substantial investments to expand and enhance airport capacity to meet growing passenger demand.
As a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Loke reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to the ICAO Global Framework, particularly its commitment to advancing sustainable aviation.
He cited the Malaysia Aviation Decarbonisation Blueprint (MADB), a strategic plan to decarbonise the aviation sector and establish Malaysia as a regional hub for sustainable aviation.
The goal is to achieve net-zero emissions in international aviation by 2050.
The transport minister stressed the importance of negotiating Air Services Agreements (ASAs) among ICAO member states to strengthen global air connectivity, which is a key driver of national development.
During yesterday’s agreement signing ceremony, Malaysia signed two new ASAs with Suriname and Eswatini.
“We maintain an open skies policy, fostering strong connections with other nations.
“Currently, we have air service agreements with 107 countries, and with these latest signings, the number will rise to 109. We want good connectivity with the rest of the world, and tourism is important to our economy.
“We welcome more tourists to our country to enjoy our beautiful country,” he said.
