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KUALA LUMPUR: Airlines may need three years to fully recover from the impact of Covid-19, says Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah (Photo).
“There has been a downward trend in demand from national and international travelers as of March 1 of this year.
“Demand has dropped from 280,321 passengers per day in January to 59,378 per day in September,” he said.
Hasbi said this in response to Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Padang Terap) who asked what the Ministry of Transport was doing to help and revive the low-cost airline industry.
He said that based on the outlook for Malaysian passenger traffic this year, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MavCom) expects a drop of between 26.6 million and 29.7 million or between 72.8% and 75.6. %.
“This compares with passenger traffic of some 109.2 million last year,” he said.
As for the measures being taken by the Transport Ministry, Hasbi said it was an agreement for Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to reduce its landing and parking fees through a counter mechanism.
He added that the room for maneuver saw an increase in air travel services in the domestic sector.
“The Ministry of Transport, together with the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture and the airlines will also continue cooperation to increase the awareness and confidence of the people in the use of air services that will help to recover the national tourism sector” , said.
Hasbi also said that the Transport Ministry welcomes initiatives to create travel bubbles to countries such as Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Japan.
“Through the travel bubble concept, passengers and flights from the countries listed in the green zones will be able to enter Malaysia according to standard operating procedure.
“However, the suggestion of the travel bubble still depends on the negotiations between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the countries involved,” he said.
Hasbi added that, in addition to these measures, some exemptions were granted to airlines to continue their operations during the recovery movement control order.
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