Malaysia’s air traffic slump to continue into next quarter

Malaysia’s air traffic is expected to remain at current low levels for at least the next three months, amid countrywide movement restrictions in place until mid-June. “Aviation capacity at the moment is at 25% and a drastic increase is not expected in the next three months,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said Sunday. Malaysia’s 28 May announcement that the country would be put in total lockdown 1-14 June has spurred operational cuts across the local aviation sector. Malaysia Airlines says in a 4 June statement: “Malaysia Airlines will operate limited service with 85% reduction across its network during [Malaysia’s] Movement Control Order from 1 to 14 June 2021. It will however continue to facilitate essential domestic and international travels as well as cargo movement.” Malaysia Airlines currently puts 58 aircraft into service – 30 Boeing 737-800s, 22 Airbus A330s and six A350s – out of its fleet of 82 aircraft. The operational launch of the new Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Centre in Sepang, Selangor has also been postponed due to the spike in Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 cases, CAAM says in the 6 June statement.<br/>