KUALA LUMPUR: The country's total air passenger traffic stood at 8.7 million for the first quarter (Q1) of the year, up 415.6 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) due to the low base effect, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) said.
During the same quarter last year, passenger traffic stood at 1.7 million.
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kassim said following the easing of travel restrictions in Malaysia, the aviation industry had made further progress in its recovery from the pandemic as indicated by the increase in total passenger traffic in early 2022.
"With the country's international borders having reopened since April 2022, we have continued to see an uptick driven by pent-up demand for travel.
"While we understand the public remains cautious in the face of global conflicts and existing economic uncertainties, the commission remains positive that the aviation sector will continue to recover in 2022 with the right measures in place," he said in a statement today.
Mavcom said passenger traffic was significantly driven by domestic travellers who accounted for 88.8 per cent of total traffic in Q1 2022.
As of May 2022, Malaysia's year-to-date (YTD) air passenger traffic stood at 16.3 million, signifying a 574.6 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2021.
International air passenger traffic reached one million in May 2022, the first time since March 2020.
The commission also reported that total cargo volume recorded a 5.9 per cent Y-o-Y increase in Q1 2022, driven by the return of belly cargo capacity following the gradual resumption of international flights.
On the 2022 air passenger traffic and cargo outlook, Mavcom maintained its forecast reported in the December 2021 edition of the Waypoint Report as both air passenger traffic and air cargo had performed within expectations.
The commission expects passenger traffic to increase between 200 per cent and 350 per cent Y-o-Y, representing an estimated 32.6 million to 49.0 million passengers.
It also expects air cargo traffic to expand between 3.9 per cent and 6.7 per cent Y-o-Y, translating to 21.5 billion to 22.0 billion FTK.
Additionally, Mavcom said it had received 22 Air Traffic Right (ATR) applications as of March 31, 2022, of which 21 were approved, representing a 95.5 per cent approval rate.
"13 ATRs were allocated for international routes, while the remaining eight ATRs were awarded to domestic routes, half of which were awarded to SKS Airways, one of the newest airlines in Malaysia.
"AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, M Jets International, and MyJet Xpress received 3 ATRs each, while both MAB Kargo and MASwings received 2 ATRs, followed by AirAsia X which was accorded one ATR.
"This signifies an encouraging development in the continual recovery of Malaysia's aviation industry," it said.