PETALING JAYA: Air passenger traffic in the primary quarter of 2024 (Q1’24) noticed a big improve in comparison with the primary quarter of 2023, rising by 16.1% to 22.6 million passengers, based on the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).
This improve, it stated, was primarily pushed by worldwide air traffic, which surged by 39.9% year-on-year (y-o-y), reaching 11.9 million passengers. Quarterly home air passenger traffic skilled a dip of two.3%, totalling 10.7 million passengers.
Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, whole air passenger traffic in Q1’24 elevated quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) by 2.7%, regardless of a slight decline in home air traffic by 2.5%. International air passenger traffic elevated by 7.9% q-o-q.
The development in quarterly air traffic was recorded regardless of a ten% decline from 8.1 million passengers in February 2024 to 7.3 million passengers in March 2024. The month noticed a marked decline in home air journey, with a 14.8% lower from 4 million in February to three.4 million in March, whereas worldwide air traffic noticed a decline of 5.4% month-on-month (m-o-m). Passenger numbers had been reflective of subdued journey actions in the course of the holy month of Ramadan. Nevertheless, air passenger traffic in March 2024 showcased a 5.6% improve from March 2023, which recorded 6.9 million passengers.
The trade restoration trajectory from Covid-19 signifies that Q1’24 numbers reached 85.5% of 2019 ranges, with worldwide air traffic restoration at 89.3% and home at 81.7%.
For the primary time because the pandemic, the share of worldwide air traffic exceeded home air traffic, reflecting a robust restoration in worldwide routes and frequencies in addition to a shift again to worldwide journey as international tourism recovers. Domestic and worldwide air passenger traffic accounted for 47.5% and 52.5% of whole quarterly air passenger traffic, respectively.
In phrases of air cargo actions, Malaysia recorded 227,365 tonnes of cargo actions in Q1’24, a lower of 6.3% in comparison with 242,750 tonnes throughout Q1’23. Domestic air cargo actions decreased by 30.7% y-oy, whereas worldwide air cargo actions elevated by 7.2% in comparison with Q1’23.
Looking forward to the second quarter of 2024, Mavcom is optimistic in regards to the continued restoration and development of the aviation trade, regardless of latest cancellations and rerouting of flights because of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The fee stated that whereas it’s nonetheless too early to find out the affect of the battle, it anticipates whole passenger traffic in 2024 to nonetheless land between its forecast vary.
Mavcom govt chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim stated that as they evaluate the air traffic figures for Q1’24, it’s clear that the aviation sector is on a robust path to restoration.
