Domestic flight capacity increases ahead of Hari Raya - Loke

PUTRAJAYA - Domestic flight capacity has been increased to accommodate the surge in travel demand ahead of Aidilfitri, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said that so far, no domestic flights have been cancelled by local airlines.

"We have increased flights for the Hari Raya period, and no domestic flights have been cancelled. Any cancellations involve routes to areas considered to be at risk,” he said at a press conference today while commenting on developments in air travel following the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Loke added that the government is also engaging with local airlines to identify the best approaches to reduce operating costs within the aviation industry.

"We do not want to see our airlines cancelling flights, because cancellations would have economic implications,” he said.

He said the Transport Ministry would hold a meeting with airlines and aviation industry players to discuss possible cost mitigation measures.

According to him, the ministry will also present a proposal to the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) to examine potential forms of government assistance to ease cost pressures faced by airlines.

"Later this evening, we will meet with MTEN and present our proposal to explore how we can reduce operational costs for flights,” he said.

Meanwhile, Loke noted that the conflict in West Asia has affected the global aviation sector, including a decline in passenger numbers from the region.

"Over the past two weeks, there has been a slight drop in passengers from West Asia due to the ongoing conflict in the area,” he said.

However, he added that the situation has also created opportunities for local airlines to accommodate increased demand for flights to other destinations, particularly in Europe.

"For example, Malaysia Airlines has seen higher demand for flights to London and Paris as passengers now have more limited travel options through hubs in West Asia,” he said. - BERNAMA