KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd ’s (MAHB) network of airports in Malaysia recorded a total of 2.3 million passenger movements in November 2021, surpassing the two million mark for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April last year.

       Managing director Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood said the 77 per cent increase from the 1.3 million recorded in October was mainly contributed by domestic passenger movements, which continued to improve since the easing of interstate travel restrictions.

       Airports in Malaysia recorded a total of 2.15 million domestic passengers last month, an 82 per cent increase from 1.18 million passengers in the preceding month.

       "The encouraging demand seen in domestic travel in the last two months is good news not just for the aviation sector, but also for our retail and food and beverage partners, who are also seeing signs of gradual recovery,” he said in a statement today.

       In tandem with the rise in passenger movements, there was also a surge in domestic aircraft movements which grew 43 per cent from 18,966 in October to 27,084 in November.

       Meanwhile, the group’s combined Malaysia and Turkey operations recorded a 15 per cent increase in total passenger movements from October at 4.72 million. The Malaysia operations contributed 49 per cent to the total performance.

       Iskandar Mizal said the group continues to remain optimistic in view of the initial signs of recovery observed in the past two months, as well as the anticipated increase in passenger movements in the coming months. - Bernama