KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's air passenger traffic rose to 8.0 million in May, marking a modest but steady 0.8 per cent month-on-month (MoM) increase from April's 7.9 million passengers.

The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) said the total air passenger traffic reached 97.2 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

The commission added that the growth was primarily fuelled by increased international travel, with contributions from both Asean and non-Asean regions, despite a slight decrease in domestic traffic from the previous month.

"Notably, non-Asean air passenger traffic experienced the highest MoM increase at 2.9 per cent, climbing from 1.9 million in April to 2.0 million in May 2024.

"Overall international traffic saw a 2.2 per cent MoM growth," it said. 

Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the May traffic figures demonstrate the resilience and ongoing recovery of the aviation sector, particularly in international traffic, which is a positive indicator of global travel and tourism health.

"With the restoration of more international routes and increased flight frequencies, we anticipate this trend to continue.

"Mavcom remains dedicated to supporting the aviation industry's recovery, ensuring high standards of airport service quality and protecting consumer rights," he added.

Mavcom reported that in May, domestic air passenger traffic made up 49.1 per cent of the total, while international traffic accounted for 50.9 per cent.

This represents a slight shift from April 2024, when domestic traffic was 49.8 per cent and international traffic was 50.2 per cent.

"The sustained higher contribution of international traffic highlights the growing preference for international travel," it added.

The international traffic was strong, achieving 99.8 per cent of May 2019 levels with 4.1 million passengers, while domestic traffic recovered to 94.7 per cent with 3.9 million passengers.

For the first five months of 2024, cumulative air passenger traffic was 38.5 million, a 16.0 per cent year-on-year increase from 33.2 million in the same period in 2023.

International traffic surged by 38.3 per cent to 19.9 million passengers, highlighting the aviation industry's robust recovery and the restoration of international routes.

In contrast, domestic traffic slightly declined by 1.1 per cent to 18.6 million.

Year-to-date, domestic traffic accounted for 48.3 per cent and international traffic for 51.7 per cent of the total, reflecting a return to pre-Covid-19 trends with a higher share of international travel. 

"Initially, domestic travel rebounded faster post-pandemic, but the focus has now shifted back to international routes due to rising consumer demand as global tourism recovers," Mavcom added

https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2024/06/1068543/malaysias-aviation-sector-still-robust-after-modest-steady