Since borders reopened on April 1, some 20,000 to 30,000 international passengers have passed through Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) international airports on a daily basis.
In terms of domestic traffic, MAHB handles around 70,000 passengers a day through its network of 39 airports.
The outlook for Malaysia’s aviation industry is positive, now that the airport operator has resumed flights. Coupled with new flight routes, its airports continue to be important points of connectivity for passengers.
To date, 47 partner airlines are operating flight routes from its airports to 63 international cities in 28 countries.
From early this year till now, various airlines have added 28 cities as their destinations. This is a clear sign that demand for air travel has increased.
On the home front, domestic carriers have not only resumed 100% of their routes but increased the frequency of flights for some.
At the same time, MAHB welcomed a new commercial airline, SKS Airways (KI) in early January. KI is currently operating flights to Pangkor, Redang and Tioman from Subang Airport.
The airport operator has also revived its short take-off and landing (STOLports) on the islands to better serve their passengers.
In addition, MAHB said it has spent approximately RM5 billion to upgrade its airports’ infrastructure and facilities over the last 30 years. These airports comprise five international and 17 domestic airports, as well as 17 STOLports.
The STOLports are part of MAHB’s corporate responsibility efforts to ensure seamless connectivity particularly for those living in the highlands and in remote areas. Passengers using the STOLports do not pay airport charges.
The airport operator’s STOLports serve an average 170,000 people a year, acting as critical hubs for those in rural communities, so they can obtain daily necessities, medication supplies and access education opportunities.
This was especially true for Ba’kelalan residents when the nation-wide movement control order was implemented in March 2020, with the local STOLport proving to be a key lifeline for the rural Sarawak town which relies heavily on air transport for medical supplies and food essentials.
Known as the last frontier of Sarawak, Ba’kelalan is a gruelling eight-hour drive from the nearest town of Lawas, with half the journey spent traversing bumpy logging roads on a four-wheel drive.
Now that the economy has fully opened up, the STOLports will be key in reviving the economies of rural and remote areas, facilitating tourism and business activities, while also providing job opportunities for the locals who work at the STOLports.