The Kuala Lumpur-headquartered Malaysia Airlines expects to grow its passenger traffic flow to and from India routes by 14 per cent in FY25 on a year-on-year basis, a senior airline official told businessline.
Malaysia Aviation Group’s Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines, Dersenish Aresandiran, said the rise in load factors has been driven by reinstated routes, expanded codeshare partnerships and strategic market initiatives.
“The Indian aviation market is experiencing robust growth. We estimate around 1.3 million passengers for FY25. With increased flight frequencies, new routes and collaborations, we anticipate sustained momentum in the coming fiscal years,” he said.
Aresandiran said the airline expects to achieve 25 per cent higher passenger growth in 2024 compared with 2019, supported by the addition of four new destinations in India.
Last year, the airline recommenced operations to Kolkata. In 2023, it launched three new routes, including Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad.
Consistent demand
According to Aresandiran, the Indian market has emerged as a cornerstone for Malaysia Airlines, ranking among the largest and fastest-growing markets in its network. The airline has reported healthy passenger loads and consistent demand across all destinations.
As per the latest estimates, the load factor for metro cities is currently at 88 per cent, while for tier-2 cities, it stands at 86 per cent.
“We are committed to further expanding our reach in India, including to tier-2 cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad and Amritsar. We remain open to exploring new opportunities as soon as bilateral rights become available,” he said.
Consequent to the availability of bilateral flying rights, the airline is exploring options to start services to the North-East region, including Guwahati, as well as potential new routes to Visakhapatnam and Goa.
Codeshare pact
Furthermore, Aresandiran said that the airline is leveraging partnerships to grow its presence in India, such as the codeshare agreement with IndiGo. This collaboration allows Malaysia Airlines to offer passengers access to 16 additional destinations in the country.
In addition, the airline plans to deploy Boeing 737-8 aircraft on all India routes to enhance the overall travel experience.
“A combination of seamless interline connectivity, renowned hospitality and a strong emphasis on hyper-personalisation of services has significantly boosted Malaysia Airlines’ operations in India. Our commitment to delivering tailored experiences is evident through various specialised programmes designed to meet the unique needs of different traveller segments,” Aresandiran said.
Currently, Malaysia Airlines operates to 10 destinations in India with over 71 weekly flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata.
