DOMESTIC and international air traffic has fallen by 78% in the country since March 1, said the Transport Ministry.

“The number of air travel passengers per day has dropped from 280,321 in January to 59,378 in September,” said Dr Wee Ka Siong in a written reply to Dewan Rakyat today.

He said the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) estimates that the total number of air passengers will decline between 72.8% and 75.6% in 2020.

“That is from 109.2 million in 2019 to 26.6-29.7 million this year,” said Wee.

He said it will take up to three years before the aviation industry recovers from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wee said the government has agreed for Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd to reduce the landing and parking fees for airplanes.

“Currently, the government is negotiating with Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Japan to create a travel bubble.”

The discussions, said Wee, are being headed by the Health and Foreign Ministries.

Wee, who is Ayer Hitam MP, was responding to Dr Azman Ismail’s (Kuala Kedah-PH) question on the government’s plan to revive the aviation industry. – November 10, 2020.