SEPANG - In July 2024, the Malaysia Airports Group achieved several notable milestones in passenger traffic, reflecting the robust momentum in the aviation sector. For the first time since 2020, the Group's monthly passenger traffic, including its Turkish asset, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW), exceeded 12 million passengers. The total passenger movements for the month reached 12.4 million, a 7.3% increase from June 2024. This growth was largely driven by the Group's local airports, which recorded over 8 million passengers, setting a new monthly record since the pandemic. This 8.5 million passengers recorded at local airports comprising 4.5 million international passengers and 4.0 million domestic, represented an 8% rise from June 2024.
Malaysia Airports' Managing Director, Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani, expressed satisfaction with these results, and highlighted the collective efforts of all stakeholders, "Together with our airport community and partners, we are committed to sustaining this growth trajectory through continuous improvements in passenger experience, connectivity, infrastructure and operational excellence."
On the local front, international passenger movements increased by 11% while domestic movements grew by 5% compared to June 2024. Key markets such as Indonesia, China, and Singapore continued to dominate in July. The addition of Qingdao Airlines (QW) and increased frequencies by airlines to and from China and Indonesia contributed to a total seat capacity recovery of 85.8%.
Several airlines expanded their services, boosting connectivity and capacity. AirAsia (AK) introduced thrice-weekly flights from KL International Airport (KUL) to Sihanoukville Airport (KOS), Cambodia. China Eastern Airlines (MU) launched new flights to Yantai Penglai International Airport (YNT) with a twice-weekly frequency and commenced daily services to Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX) and Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG). Batik Air Malaysia (OD) started twice-weekly flights from KUL to Lombok International Airport (LOP). Firefly (FY) added four weekly flights from Tawau Airport (TWU) to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) and Macau International Airport (MFM), while Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) commenced thrice-weekly flights from Penang International Airport (PEN) to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX). Additionally, the Middle East region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, saw a rise in passenger movements in July, driven by the Hajj season.
Meanwhile, SAW reported a record 3.9 million passenger movements in July 2024, marking a 6% increase from the previous month. The summer holiday season along with the introduction of new routes and additional flight frequencies contributed to a new annual high in international passenger movements, which reached nearly 2.0 million - a 9% increase over June 2024. Domestic passenger movements also grew to 1.9 million, up 3% from the previous month.
SAW's connectivity expanded further with AJet (VF) introducing a new route to Skopje International Airport (SKP), Macedonia with four weekly flights, boosting the airport's connectivity and presence in Southeastern Europe. Pegasus Airlines (PC) launched a new route to Mashhad International Airport (MHD), Iran with a twice-weekly frequency and increased its flights to Dortmund Airport (DTM), Germany from five to seven times a week. Additionally, PC resumed service to Podgorica Airport (TGD), Montenegro with three weekly flights.