KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 28): Passenger traffic across Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) local operations increased for the second consecutive month with a 5.2% month-on-month (m-o-m) hike to 8.4 million in August 2026, the highest monthly volume recorded since March.

MAHB said the increase was supported by both domestic and international travel, with domestic traffic rebounded from the decline recorded in July, rising 6.7% to 3.7 million passengers, while international traffic continued its upward movements with a 4.1% increase to 4.7 million passengers.

"This resulted in a more balanced traffic performance compared with the preceding month, when growth was driven mainly by international travel," it said in a statement.

The airport operator said that for the first eight months of 2026, Malaysia Airports’ local network handled 67.4 million passengers, comprising 37 million international and 30.4 million domestic passengers.

"KL International Airport (KLIA) handled 5.2 million passengers, up 3.8% from July. Kota Kinabalu and Kuching International Airports recorded stronger m-o-m of 12% and 10.8% respectively, while Penang International Airport registered a 2.3% increase," it said.

At group level, MAHB said it handled 13.6 million passengers in August, an increase of 5.8% from July, with Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport handling 5.2 million passengers, up 6.8% m-o-m, bringing total group traffic for the first eight months of 2026 to 101.3 million.

On connectivity, it said the network was further strengthened in August with TransNusa’s launch of a daily direct service between Bandar Lampung, Indonesia and KLIA Terminal 1 on Aug 24.

It added that KLIA also retained its position as the world’s fourth most connected international airport and Asia-Pacific’s most connected Megahub in the OAG 2026 Megahubs Index.

MAHB group managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani said the broader increase across domestic and international travel shows that passenger activity strengthened across the network in August.

"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 said overall airport satisfaction remained high at 99.7% across both terminals in August, while passenger satisfaction with washrooms remained at 100%.

It said passenger satisfaction with kerbside congestion also reached 100% at both terminals following the implementation of the Vehicle Access Management System to improve traffic circulation and reduce prolonged vehicle dwell times.

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