Passenger movements at the MAHB network of airports continue to grow steadily, reaching 7.9million passengers in August 2022, equivalent to 62.1% of the August 2019 level.
This is also the highest passenger volume recorded for the year with international passenger movements of 3.3 million partly driven by the summer holiday period, visa relaxation in Saudi Arabia leading to more Umrah trips as well as airlines’ introduction of new routes and flight resumptions. Domestic passenger movements were recorded at 4.6 million or 69.2% of 2019 level.
On the local front, airports in Malaysia recorded 4.8million total passenger movements with international passenger movements steadily charting continued growth at 1.7million passengers in August. Batik Air Malaysia, formerly known as Malindo Air, commenced Phuket route from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), with seven flights weekly from 1 August. Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) commenced two new direct services, KLIA-Haneda with two flights weekly from 14 August and Kota Kinabalu International Airport-Singapore with three flights weekly from 28 August. Firefly resumed Phuket service from Penang International Airport on 26 August with four flights weekly. Domestic passenger movements remained above the 3 million mark in August, recording 3.1 million passengers, or 65.7% of 2019 level
Istanbul SGIA passenger movements continued to surpass the 3 million mark, with an equal mix of 50:50 international and domestic passenger volumes. International passenger movements recorded an encouraging volume in August 2022, reaching a new high at the tail end of a summer holiday with 1.5million passengers, exceeding 2019 August level by 5.7%.
