Malaysians are flying again: Airport traffic hits 5-month high at 8.4mil

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's air travel recovery is gathering pace, with passenger traffic across Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) local network surging to 8.4 million in August, the highest monthly volume since March 2026.

Passenger traffic rose 5.2 per cent month-on-month, marking a second consecutive monthly increase and signalling a broader recovery as both domestic and international travel picked up.

Domestic traffic staged a sharp rebound, climbing 6.7 per cent to 3.7 million passengers after declining in July, while international traffic continued to strengthen, rising 4.1 per cent to 4.7 million.

The August performance also marked a shift from July, when passenger growth was driven mainly by international travel.

For the first eight months of 2026, MAHB's local network handled 67.4 million passengers, comprising 37 million international and 30.4 million domestic passengers.

At the group level, including Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, passenger traffic rose 5.8 per cent month-on-month to 13.6 million in August. The Istanbul operation handled 5.2 million passengers, up 6.8 per cent, taking total group passenger traffic for the January-August period to 101.3 million.

In a statement, MAHB said that major Malaysian gateways also recorded higher traffic. KL International Airport (KLIA) handled 5.2 million passengers, up 3.8 per cent month-on-month, while Kota Kinabalu and Kuching international airports recorded stronger increases of 12 per cent and 10.8 per cent, respectively. Penang International Airport traffic rose 2.3 per cent.

Air connectivity also expanded during the month, with TransNusa launching a daily direct service between Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, and KLIA Terminal 1 on Aug 24. The 95-seat COMAC C909 service provides a direct link between Malaysia and Indonesia's Lampung province.

MAHB group managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani said the broader increase in domestic and international traffic reflected stronger passenger activity across the network.

He said the continued expansion of airline connectivity and KLIA's standing among the world's leading megahubs reinforce Malaysia's role as an important regional aviation gateway.

"As passenger volumes and connectivity grow, our responsibility is to ensure that the airport experience develops alongside them. Growth must be supported by reliable facilities and service standards that give passengers confidence throughout their journey," he said.

Meanwhile, MAHB has begun publishing a monthly performance report covering key passenger service indicators at KLIA Terminals 1 and 2.

The August report showed overall airport satisfaction at 99.7 per cent across both terminals, while passenger satisfaction with washroom facilities stood at 100 per cent.

Passenger satisfaction with kerbside congestion also reached 100 per cent at both terminals following the implementation of the Vehicle Access Management System, which is aimed at improving traffic circulation and reducing prolonged vehicle dwell times.

At Terminal 1, the Aerotrain achieved full compliance with the prescribed Quality of Service target for two-train service availability in August. This follows the completion of a comprehensive action plan in May covering system inspections, rectification, recalibration, stress testing, endurance runs and enhanced maintenance and monitoring.