MAHB bolsters traffic by 40% with six extra airlines

Malaysia Airports Group’s local airport network saw a 40% year-on-year increase in international traffic in the first half of 2024 (1H24), fuelled by the addition of six new airlines. In a statement yesterday, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) named the airlines as Cambodia Airways, Flydubai, Iraqi Airways, Juneyao Airlines, Thai Lion Air and Turkmenistan Airlines. MAHB reported that these airlines contributed to a total passenger movement of 45m in 1H24, reaching 87.9% of pre-pandemic levels from the same period in 2019. “The recovery in total seat capacity reached 85% in 1H24, amounting to 57m seats compared to 67.3m in 1H19,” it said. Furthermore, MAHB noted that the average load factor for 1H24 was 78.8%, surpassing the 1H19 level by 3.4 percentage points. “This sustained growth throughout 1H24 indicates robust demand, potentially prompting further expansions in seat capacity offerings,” it added. It said the overall performance of Malaysia Airports Group’s local airports in 1H24 showed resilience, with total passenger movements reaching 45m, marking a notable 15.5% increase over 1H23 and achieving 87.9% of the passenger levels seen in 1H19.<br/>