MAHB airports register 2.5m passenger movements in July

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) network of airports registered 2.5 million passenger movements for July 2020, surpassing the 2 million mark for the first time since the imposition of the movement control order in March.

However, the July passenger movements represent a contraction of 79.9% over July 2019. Domestic and international sector declined 66.6% and 94.3% respectively compared to the same period in 2019, recording 2.2 million and almost 350,000 passengers.

On a last-12-month basis, the total MAHB network of airports declined 36.8% with 41.2 million passengers. Overall aircraft movements declined 67.3% with domestic and international movements declining 54.6% and 86.1% over July 2019.

Airports in Malaysia registered 1.3 million passengers in July 2020, a decline of 85.8% over July 2019. Domestic and international sector recorded 73.2% and 98.1% with 1.2 million and over 90,000 passengers respectively.

“There was an upsurge of passenger movements a week before Eid Al-Adha which continued to the first week of August. Average daily passenger movements during that period was over 46,000 passengers compared to the average daily movements from July 1 to 23 of 36,000 passengers,” the group said in an exchange filing.

Overall aircraft movements declined 70.5% over July 2019 with an average load factor of 55.5%.

KLIA passenger movements declined 91.8% over July 2019 with over 440,000 passenger movements. Domestic and international passenger movements declined 76.6% and 71.4% over July 2019.

Overall aircraft movements at KLIA declined 83.3% over the same month last year. Domestic and international aircraft movements declined 68.7% and 90.3% respectively over July 2019.

Passenger movements at the airports other than KLIA/KUL operated by Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd declined 77.1% in July 2020 over July 2019. Domestic and international passenger movements declined 71.4% and 99.7% respectively over July 2020.

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport passengers contracted 63.9% in July 2020 over the same period last year to 1.2 million passengers. Domestic and international passengers declined 51.8% and 81.4% with close to 1.0 million and over 250,000 passengers respectively.

“Similar to Malaysia’s traffic trend, there was a sharp increase in daily passenger movements towards Eid Al-Adha with average daily passengers of 38,000 over 28,000 from July 1 to 23, 2020. Total aircraft movements decreased 55.7%. Domestic and international aircraft movements recorded a decline of 40.3% and 75.2% respectively over July 2019,” said MAHB.

In Malaysia, the announcement of the Reciprocal Green Lane and Periodic Commuting Arrangement to facilitate cross-border travel for essential travel, official purposes, business and work purposes between Malaysia and Singapore from mid August would see some slight increase in international traffic.

source https://www.thesundaily.my/business/mahb-airports-register-25m-passenger-movements-in-july-GD3423239