COVID-19: Number of flight passengers down to 26.6 million this year - MOT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) estimates that the number of flight passengers has decreased by between -72.8 per cent and -75.6 per cent this year, following the impact of COVID-19.

Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah said based on the projected Malaysian passenger traffic scenario this year, the percentage would see decrease in passengers to between 26.6 million and 29.7 million as compared to 109.2 million passengers last year.

He said airline companies are expected to take three years to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic but this would depend on the COVID-19 situation within and outside the country.

"In preparation for the opening of the air transport sector, the government through the Economic Stimulus Package has agreed, among others, that Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) will reduce aircraft landing and parking fees through negotiation and pricing mechanisms," he said during question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Padang Terap) on the mechanism being drafted by the ministry to help restore the low-cost carriers.

Apart from reducing landing and parking charges, he said the ministry had listed several recommendations to the Economic Advisory Council, to address the problem of unemployment among airline workers and in assisting airline companies.

Among the recommendations are giving exemption limit on the number of employees in the sector eligible to receive financial assistance through the Wage Subsidy Programme, cash incentives to increase ticket sales and other utility services rebate.

-- BERNAMA