KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 – Malaysia’s air passenger traffic rose 16.1 percent year on year to 22.6 million passengers in the first quarter, showing an industry recovery trajectory from COVID-19, official data showed Thursday.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) said in a statement that the increase was primarily driven by international air traffic, which surged by 39.9 percent year on year to 11.9 million.
Quarterly domestic air passenger traffic, however, dipped 2.3 percent year on year to 10.7 million.
Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the total air passenger traffic in the first quarter increased by 2.7 percent.
International air passenger traffic expanded by 7.9 percent quarter on quarter, but domestic air traffic declined by 2.5 percent.
Meanwhile, air traffic fell 10 percent month on month to 7.3 million in March from 8.1 million in February.
The month saw declines in domestic air travel (14.8 percent) and international air traffic (5.4 percent).
“The aviation sector is on a robust path to recovery. Airlines have shifted their attention to restoring and adding new international destinations in their networks, and the establishment of 30-day visa exemptions for tourists from China and India has provided a conducive environment for the accelerated return of international air travel,” MAVCOM Executive Chairman Saripuddin Kasim said.
