SENAI Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd (SATSSB) is anticipating approximately three million travelers to pass through Senai International Airport by the end of this year.
The CEO of SATSSB, Kennedy Ayu, stated that this forecast is based on the number of arrivals and departures recorded from January until the first week of September, which reached two million passengers.
Ayu expressed optimism about the growth of passenger numbers during a ceremony held to commemorate the inaugural flight of TransNusa Airline from Jakarta to Johor Baru.
He further added that air travel has been on an upward trend since the country’s international borders were reopened on April 1, 2022.
In 2019, the airport recorded 4.27 million passengers, and in the first three months of 2020 before the first movement control order was imposed, the airport received one million passengers, Ayu mentioned.
However, during the peak of the pandemic, only 371,000 passengers passed through the airport.
Since the reopening of borders, the situation has improved, and 2.25 million passengers were recorded in 2022.
Ayu also highlighted the declaration made by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 4, stating that Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIS), which further boosted air travel worldwide.
Kennedy (left) presenting a commemorative plaque to Bernard (right) to mark the maiden flight by TransNusa Airline. Looking on is Kulai Municipal Council president Mohd Fahmi Salam.
The airport is currently connected to 12 domestic destinations and five international routes, including Guangzhou in China, Bangkok in Thailand, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, as well as Jakarta and Surabaya in Indonesia.
Senai International Airport began its operations in 1974 and is the only privately managed civilian airport in Malaysia. SATSSB is a member of MMC Group.
The CEO of TransNusa Airline Group Aviation, Datuk Bernard Francis, stated that the Jakarta-Johor Baru route is the airline’s second new international route, following Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur, which commenced on April 14.
In a press statement, Bernard mentioned that the Jakarta-Johor Baru flight was fully booked and operated smoothly without any issues.
The airline plans to operate five weekly flights from Jakarta to Johor Baru, with departures at 12.30pm (Indonesian time) and arrivals at 3.15pm.
The return flight from Johor Baru to Jakarta will depart on the same day at 3.45pm and arrive in Jakarta at 4.20pm (Indonesian time).
TransNusa currently has two bases in Indonesia, namely Bali and Jakarta. They currently operate 10 daily flights between Jakarta and Bali, as well as three daily flights between Jakarta and Jogjakarta.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
