KUALA LUMPUR, 12 October 2020 – The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) today released its third quarterly Air Traffic Rights (ATR) report. The report features the Commission’s ATR allocations for the Malaysian civil aviation sector from 1 July to 30 September 2020. 

During this period, the Commission approved 12 ATR applications, representing 100 per cent of applications received for this period. This applications rate translates to a 55.6 per cent reduction against the first half of 2020, as well as a 66.7 per cent reduction from the corresponding period of the previous year, mainly caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Of the 12 ATR allocations, seven were for domestic destinations while the remaining five were for international destinations. Approvals for international routes encompassed one for a destination in Japan, two for Hong Kong while the remaining two approvals were for ASEAN destinations. 

The breakdown of ATR allocations by airports are as follows: seven for flights originating from KL International Airport (KUL), four from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), and one from Kuching International Airport (KCH). 

Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) received the highest number of approvals, totalling seven ATRs. Raya Airways, AirAsia Berhad and Fly Firefly Sdn. Bhd. followed with allocations of three, one and one, respectively. 

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary suspension was granted to airlines regarding the condition that automatically revokes ATRs which were not utilised within six months from the date of the grant of the approval to airlines by the Commission. The suspension, which took effect on 4 June 2020, was undertaken to ease the administrative challenges faced by airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic and allow Malaysian scheduled carriers to keep their current portfolio of ATRs for an indefinite period, until further notice. 

The suspension, however, does not apply to ATRs that have been deemed expired and automatically revoked before 4 June 2020, and for routes that airlines have wilfully terminated on their own accord. 

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