PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s air passenger traffic for the first 10 months of 2024 reached 80.3 million, putting it on track to meet the full-year forecast of 95.4-97.6 million passengers made by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).
In October, Malaysia recorded 8 million air passengers, representing a 13% year-on-year (y-o-y) increase from October 2023.
However, the figure marked a modest month-on-month (m-o-m) decline of 2.7% compared to the 8.2 million passengers recorded in September. October traffic reached 89.7% of the level recorded in October 2019, reflecting the continued recovery in both international and domestic travel following the Covid-19 pandemic.
International air traffic remained the key growth driver in October, with 4.2 million passengers recorded. This represented a robust 20.5% y-o-y increase, equivalent to 95.3% of the October 2019 level.
Non-Asean international traffic performed particularly well with a 25.6% y-o-y increase. Asean routes recorded significant growth, with an increase of 15.8% y-o-y. In terms of domestic passenger traffic, October recorded 3.8 million passengers, reflecting a 5.9% y-o-y increase but a 5.1% m-o-m decline.
In September, passenger traffic totalled 8.2 million, showing a 14.3% y-o-y increase. Notably, international non-Asean travel exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time, achieving a recovery rate of 101%, highlighting the sustained strength of Malaysia’s international connectivity.
The robust growth recorded in September and October was attributed to increased seat capacity, the introduction of new routes and visa exemptions for travellers from China and India. These measures strengthened Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for both leisure and business travellers.
All major airports in Malaysia posted y-o-y growth in October. Kuala Lumpur International Airport led with a 15.9% increase, followed by Penang International Airport and Senai International Airport, which grew by 14.7% and 16% respectively. Langkawi International Airport saw a slight decline of 1.7% y-o-y. Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu International Airport and Kuching International Airport recorded increases of 9.3% and 4.3% respectively.
Air cargo movements in the third quarter of 2024 (Q3’24) showed strong growth, with total traffic increasing by 21.7% y-o-y to 277,954 tonnes, driven primarily by a 26.6% y-o-y rise in international cargo. Domestic cargo movements rose by 7.8% y-o-y, reaching 64,176 tonnes. This uptrend was influenced by disruptions in the Red Sea, prompting businesses to shift from sea freight to air freight for reliability.
Compared to the previous quarter, cargo traffic in Q3’24 rose by 14.9%, with overall air cargo reaching 117.8% of pre-pandemic levels. Domestic and international cargo volumes reached 135.9% and 113.2% of pre-pandemic levels, respectively.
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said, “The sustained recovery of Malaysia’s aviation sector is evident in the strong year-on-year growth reported for October, building on the positive momentum achieved in September. The increasing confidence in Malaysia as a global travel destination, coupled with government initiatives such as visa exemptions for tourists from China (which will remain in effect until 2025) and India, along with the introduction of new international routes, have been instrumental in driving growth, particularly in the non-Asean market.
“The steady increase in air cargo volumes further underscores the resilience of our logistics sector amidst global disruptions. Mavcom will continue to support this growth trajectory through strategic regulatory and policy initiatives, ensuring the sustainable and long-term development of the aviation industry.”
