(Photo by Zahid Izzani/The Edge)

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) passenger traffic at its airports in Malaysia and Türkiye continued to recover in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024), recording 31.37 million in total passenger movements, with international passenger movements surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

The total passenger movements at MAHB’s airports rose 17% over a year ago.

In 1Q2024, MAHB registered 16.9 million passenger movements for its international routes, the highest passenger volume recorded since 2020, and 5% higher than the first quarter of 2019, the group said in a statement.

Over a year ago, international passenger movements at MAHB’s airports, including Türkiye’s Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISGA) in Istanbul, rose 33.9% from 12.63 million a year ago.

“Notably, international passenger movements exceeded 1Q2019 levels (of 16.07 million) for the first time, reaching 16.91 million in 1Q2024, marking a 5% increase,” the group said, primarily propelled by the robust international expansion of airlines in ISGA.

MAHB’s sole airport in Türkiye saw a 22.1% year-on-year (y-o-y) rise in international passengers to 5.19 million — eclipsing 1Q2019’s 2.96 million by 75.4%.

Together with ISGA’s 4.35 million domestic passengers in 1Q2024, a 13.9% y-o-y rise from 3.82 million a year earlier, the Istanbul airport’s total passengers stood at 9.55 million in the latest quarter, an increase of 18.2% from 8.07 million from 1Q2023.

It is worth noting that ISGA’s domestic passenger traffic in 1Q2024 only represented 85.5% of the 5.09 million domestic passengers it saw back in 1Q2019.

ISGA’s passenger movement will be closely watched in coming months, as analysts have flagged concerns over ISGA’s passenger traffic potentially being impacted by the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, given Türkiye’s geopolitical proximity to the conflict.

As for MAHB’s operations in Malaysia, its 39 airports in the country saw a 39.9% y-o-y rise in international passengers to 11.72 million. However, domestic passengers declined 2.4% y-o-y to 10.11 million in 1Q2024.

“This trend indicates a strategic focus by airlines on expanding their international routes over domestic ones,” the airport operator said.

Both foreign and domestic passenger activity of its Malaysian operations in the latest quarter remained below pre-pandemic levels at 89.4% and 82.3% of 1Q2019 levels respectively.

Penang International Airport sees continued international appeal

Meanwhile, MAHB highlighted that Penang International Airport (PIA) saw a 5% month-on-month (m-o-m) rise in international travellers during the non-peak month of March 2024.

The airport operator said PIA saw international passenger movements reaching 328,000 in March, from 313,000 in February.

“The destination’s appeal remains strong, as the airport continually attracts new carriers,” MAHB said.

MAHB explained that the rise in March was attributed to, among others, the addition of new foreign carrier Fly Dubai, which operates daily flights directly to PIA from Dubai International Airport.

“Presently, PIA hosts 19 international airlines, servicing 16 global destinations, through 514 flights weekly,” the group said, adding that the airport is set to host Thai Lion Air in April, which will operate three weekly flights for its PIA to Don Mueng, Thailand route.

Shares in MAHB ended down six sen or 0.6% to RM9.94 on Tuesday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM16.59 billion.