KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 11): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) network of airports recorded 2.6 million passengers in October 2020, a decline of 78.1% from October 2019 and a decrease of 25.7% from 3.5 million in September.

“Malaysia’s traffic performance in October was largely affected by the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, resulting in the re-imposition of Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) to control the pandemic.

“Nevertheless, KLIA continues to maintain essential connectivity to the world in this challenging operating environment, with 35 airlines currently operating to 31 destinations in 23 countries,” said MAHB in its monthly passenger traffic snapshot on Bursa Malaysia today.

Domestic and international passenger movements for the month were at two million and 600,000 passengers respectively, representing a decline of 67.4% and 89.7% from a year ago.

Last month, passenger movements at airports in Malaysia plunged 92.1% on a yearly basis to 700,000, while domestic and international sectors saw 600,000 and 89,000 passengers, representing a drop of of 86.2% and 97.9% respectively.

Overall aircraft movements decreased by 77.3%, with domestic and international aircraft movements falling by 70.5% and 88.1% respectively over October 2019.

In KLIA, passenger movements fell 95.8% over October 2019 to 212,000, with domestic and international passenger movements dropping by 91.1% and 97.6% respectively.

The KLIA Main Terminal and klia2 did not fare much better, with passenger movements plunging by 96.2% and 95.5% respectively.

Passenger movements at MASB airports decreased by 86.8% year-on-year over October 2019 with 465,000 passengers, with domestic and international passenger movements decreasing by 83.8% and 99.7% respectively over October 2019.

Meanwhile, aircraft movements in October 2020 decreased by 69.7% over October 2019.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SGIA) passenger movements declined by 39.8% in October 2020 over the same period last year with 1.9 million passengers.

Domestic and international passengers decreased by 23.6% and 62.5% with 1.4 million and 492,000 passenger movements respectively.

Total aircraft movements decreased by 32.1% in October 2020. Domestic and international aircraft movements decreased by 13.6% and 55% respectively over October 2019.

MAHB said Istanbul SGIA passenger movements has shown sustained growth momentum with passenger movements reaching 1.9 million, achieving 61% of October 2019 passenger traffic, with domestic and international passenger movements each capturing 77% and 38% of the respective passenger movements recorded in October 2019.

Furthermore, Salam Air has been added to the list of foreign airlines resuming operations to Istanbul SGIA from Muscat, Oman with two flights weekly and registered as the fifth busiest airport in Europe with an average of almost 500 daily flights in October, said MAHB.

The counter closed 11 sen or 2.11% up at RM5.33, giving it a market capitalisation of RM8.84 billion.