Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd said Penang continues to demonstrate its attractiveness as a top travel destination although March is not a peak travel period.

“The increase was attributed to the addition of a new foreign carrier, Fly Dubai, which operates daily direct flights from Dubai International Airport,” it said in a statement.

It said PEN currently hosts 19 international airlines servicing 16 global destinations through 514 flights weekly.

“The destination’s appeal remains strong as the airport continually attracts new carriers with Thai Lion Air set to operate thrice-weekly flights for its PEN-Don Mueng route starting this month,” it said.

Apart from PEN, the entire Malaysia Airports Group also saw robust traffic performance with 10.2 million passenger movements recorded in March 2024, comprising 7.1 million in Malaysia and 3.1 million in Turkey.

The group registered 3.8 million international passenger movements and 3.2 million domestic passengers for its operations in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the group’s asset in Turkey, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, maintained a steady passenger volume of 3.1 million in March 2024, comprising 1.7 million international passengers and 1.4 million domestic passengers, a sign of the airport’s continued relevance as a key hub for domestic and international travel.

The group’s quarterly traffic performance also achieved a significant milestone, with a recovery rate surpassing 90% in the first quarter of 2024 (Q1 2024) with 31.4 million passengers versus Q1 2019.