MAHB airports severely affected by MCO, blockades

PETALING JAYA: MALAYSIA AEROPUERTOS HOLDINGS BHDThe airport network (MAHB) had seen a 98.8% drop in passenger numbers in April from the previous year due to the motion control order (MCO).

“Our airports registered 137,000 passengers in April 2020, a decrease of 98.8% in April 2019. International and domestic passenger movements registered 40,000 and 97,000 passengers, respectively,” the airport operator said in a statement.

“Based on the past 12 months, the total MAHB airport network registered 121.6 million passengers, representing a 10% decrease from the same period last year,” he added.

MAHB said overall aircraft movements contracted by 91.6%, with international and domestic aircraft movements declining by 92.9% and 90.7%, respectively, compared to April 2019.

He said the MCO meant that flights were initially restricted to repatriation operations, to and from international sectors and for Malaysian travelers rescued in progress to the domestic sector.

“However, since April 29, local airlines have resumed flights to key domestic routes with minimum frequencies and are ready to increase more flights with government backing to allow more interstate border movements with strict travel guidelines,” he said. .

Meanwhile, the country’s main airport gateway, KL International Airport (KLIA), had registered 56,000 passenger movements, with the Asean and non-Asean sectors registering 11,000 and 29,000 passenger movements respectively.

“April 2020 passenger movements for the KLIA Main Terminal and klia2 registered 49,000 and 8,000 passengers. General aircraft movements in KLIA decreased 93.4% in April 2019. International and domestic aircraft movements in KLIA decreased 91.9% and 96.5%, respectively, ”he said.