By NG MIN SHEN / Pic By TMR

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) network of airports including Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISGIA) reported 9.5% year-on-year (YoY) growth in passenger movements to 11.2 million passengers handled for June 2018.

International traffic grew 9% YoY to 5.1 million passengers, while domestic traffic climbed 10% YoY to 6.1 million passengers.

In a statement to the exchange yesterday, the airport operator noted that growth for June 2018 versus June last year was mainly due to the Aidilfitri holiday season, which also coincided with the two weeks of mid- term school holidays.

The overall growth was also spurred by greater airlines seat capacity and an improvement in average load factors.

On a 12-month basis, the MAHB’s airport network recorded a growth of 5.7% YoY rise to 131.1 million passengers, the highest passenger movements recorded to date for the group.

Overall aircraft movements increased 4.6% YoY in June, with international movements up 6.5% YoY, while domestic movements climbed 3.4% over June 2017.

Passenger traffic for the first half of 2018 (1H18) rose 5.2% YoY to 64.9 million passenger movements.

The international sector increased 8.3% YoY to 30.8 million passengers, while the domestic sector improved 2.5% YoY to 34.2 million passengers in the period concerned.

Aircraft movements grew 2.6% YoY with an 8.7% YoY increase in international movements, offset by a 1.1% YoY decline in the domestic sector.

The highest contributors to traffic in 1H18 were China, Indonesia, India, Korea, Singapore, Viet- nam, Cambodia, Taiwan and the Philippines.

The largest domestic travel increases YoY in June 2018 were for Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Kota Kinabalu, KLIA– Kuching, KLIA-Alor Setar, KLIA-Kuala Terengganu, KLIA-Tawau, and Kota Kinabalu-Tawau.

Most of MAHB run airports in Malaysia saw positive increases in passenger movements YoY in June this year, except for short take-off and landing airports and three domestic airports.

The number of Malaysians who travelled in the international sector in June 2018 was 12% YoY more than June 2017.

MAHB said airlines seat filings for the next six months show some moderation for international traffic and upswing in domestic travel for Malaysia.

“The anticipated increase in air travel leading to and post-elections has been below expectation. Combined with moderated seat filings, the growth for the next six months is expected to be moderate,” MAHB said.

The 39 local airports handled by MAHB registered 8.4 million passengers during June 2018, a 9.7% YoY expansion and the highest growth registered for a month this year.

The international and domestic sectors each recorded 4.2 million passengers with growth of 8.3% YoY and 11.1% YoY respectively in June 2018, with the domestic sector registering the first positive growth since November last year.

Asean international traffic climbed 9.4% YoY to 2.2 million passengers, while non-Asean destinations grew 7.2% YoY to 2.1 million passengers.

Overall aircraft movements expanded 4.1%, while international aircraft movements increased 5.9% and domestic aircraft movements rose 3% YoY.

Average load factor increased by 1.2% to 75.9% in June 2018, from a year ago.

KLIA Main Terminal and KLIA2 saw 6.7% and 12.5% YoY growth respectively in passenger movements for June this year.

Average load factor came in at 76.5%, an increase of 1.9% since June last year.

Total passenger traffic at the ISGIA grew 9.1% YoY with 2.8 million passengers, with international traffic up 12% to 900,000 passengers and domestic traffic higher by 7.7% at 1.9 million passengers.