Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air, Highest Recipients with 14 Air Traffic Rights Total Approvals 

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 July 2020 – The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) recently released its half-year Air Traffic Rights (ATR) report, encapsulating MAVCOM’s ATR allocations for the Malaysian civil aviation sector for the period of 1 January to 30 June 2020. 

ATR applications in the first half of the year saw a 74.3 per cent reduction from the second half of 2019, as well as a 27 per cent reduction compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. 

During the period under review, the Commission approved 27 ATR applications, equivalent to 87.1 per cent of the applications received. Two ATR allocations were for domestic destinations while the remaining 25 were for international destinations. Approvals for international routes comprise of seven for destinations in China, one for Amsterdam, one for Auckland and the remaining 16 for other Asian destinations. 

In terms of allocations by airports, 20 ATRs were issued for flights originating from KL International Airport (KUL), two from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), and five from other Malaysian airports. 

Of the 27 ATR approvals for the first half of the year, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) and Malindo Airways Sdn. Bhd. (Malindo Air) received the highest number of approvals, totalling 14 ATRs, while AirAsia Berhad, AirAsia X Berhad, Raya Airways and My Jet Xpress followed with allocations of six, five, one and one respectively. 

In addition, there were 39 ATRs that were approved prior to the first half of 2020 but were not utilised by the airlines. These ATRs were subsequently returned to MAVCOM during the first half of the year. The highest number of unutilised ATRs was from AirAsia Group Berhad (17). This was followed by Malindo Air (15), MAB (five), Fly Firefly Sdn. Bhd. (Firefly) (one) and Raya Airways Sdn. Bhd. (one). 

To ease airlines’ administrative challenges during the current pandemic, the Commission had removed the condition which automatically revokes ATRs which are not utilised within six months from the date of the grant of the approval to airlines, effective 5 June 2020. This in effect, allows Malaysian scheduled carriers to keep their current portfolio of ATRs for an indefinite period until further notice. 

This removal will not apply to ATRs that have already been deemed expired and automatically revoked, as well as for routes in which airlines have wilfully terminated on their own accord. 

The Air Traffic Rights Report is released on a bi-annual basis and more information can be found on MAVCOM’s website at www.mavcom.my.