SEPANG – KL International Airport (KLIA) has restored a significant link to Europe with Lufthansa’s return after nearly a decade, reconnecting Kuala Lumpur with Frankfurt and extending travel options through the German carrier’s extensive hub network. It becomes the fifth airline offering direct flights to Europe, expanding travel choices across its broad hub network.

The five-times-weekly service strengthens Malaysia’s access to Germany and provides onward connections to approximately 140 destinations across Europe through Frankfurt. For KLIA, the return of a major European network carrier augments its long-haul connectivity, giving passengers greater choice in reaching business centres and destinations beyond Europe’s main gateways.

Operated using the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the service adds approximately 75,000 one-way seats annually between Kuala Lumpur and Frankfurt. It brings KLIA’s direct European network to five destinations served by five airlines. KLIA handled 1.1 million passengers on European routes during Jan–Sep 2026, representing 29.7% growth YoY, underscoring the market’s importance to the airport’s international network.

The restored connection also serves an important economic relationship. A nonstop service supports travel between companies and their operations in both countries, while Frankfurt’s onward network broadens access for business travellers from other European markets.

Malaysia Airports Managing Director, Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said, “KLIA’s position as the world’s fourth most connected international airport in OAG’s 2026 Megahubs Index reflects the strength of our network. Building on that position means securing services that expand our reach into important markets. Lufthansa’s return does precisely that, connecting KLIA with a major European hub and making Malaysia more accessible from cities beyond those we serve directly.

“For businesses, this supports closer links with customers and investors. For our tourism industry, it creates a wider European catchment from which to attract visitors. These are the connections we are working to build: commercially sustainable services that strengthen KLIA’s competitiveness and deliver lasting value to Malaysia’s economy.”

The service’s business and premium economy offering also broadens options for corporate travellers and passengers seeking greater comfort on long-haul journeys. At the same time, access through Lufthansa’s network gives Malaysian tourism partners a stronger platform to develop itineraries for European visitors, including travel to destinations beyond Kuala Lumpur.

Lufthansa’s return follows sustained engagement between Malaysia Airports and the airline, supported by aviation and tourism partners. Building on this partnership, Malaysia Airports will continue to pursue connections to further expand KLIA’s network and strengthen its role as Malaysia’s principal international gateway.

SEPANG – International passenger traffic at several regional airports continued to grow in September 2026, led by Subang, Ipoh and Penang, despite softer passenger movements across Malaysia Airports' (the Group) local network.

The network handled 7.8 million passengers during the month, a decline of approximately 12% compared with September 2025. International traffic stood at 4.3 million, down 2.2%, while domestic movements declined 21.8% to 3.4 million.

Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang recorded 59,000 international passenger movements, an increase of 24.1% year-on-year, while Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh registered 31,000, up 16.6%. Penang International Airport also recorded a 5.3% increase in international traffic to 348,000 passengers, accounting for approximately 57% of its total September movements.

At Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Kota Bharu, international traffic reached 5,000 passengers in September, following the introduction of new international services in June. The airport's expanded terminal, which opened in April, has increased its annual handling capacity from 1.5 million to 4 million passengers.

KL International Airport (KLIA) handled approximately 4.9 million passengers during September. Its international network continued to expand with Sun PhuQuoc Airways commencing services to Phu Quoc on 1 September and Gulf Air introducing direct flights from Bahrain on 30 September, becoming the 10th Middle Eastern carrier serving KLIA.

For the first nine months of 2026, the Group's airport operations in Malaysia handled 75.2 million passengers, down 2.4% year-on-year. International traffic nevertheless grew 4.5% to 41.3 million passengers, reflecting continued international travel demand and supporting Malaysia's connectivity ambitions under Visit Malaysia 2026.

KLIA's September Monthly Performance Report also showed encouraging results for passenger experience. Overall satisfaction stood at 98.8% at Terminal 1 and 99.4% at Terminal 2. Passenger satisfaction with terminal cleanliness was above 99% at both terminals, while independent washroom inspections recorded full compliance with the prescribed standards. Passenger processing at KLIA also remained efficient, with virtually all security screening queues at both terminals cleared within 10 minutes. The Aerotrain also met its prescribed service standards throughout September.

Malaysia Airports Managing Director Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani said the results reflected the importance of strengthening regional connectivity while maintaining reliable airport services, "Airports such as Subang, Ipoh and Penang have an important role in expanding Malaysia's international connectivity. We want to build on this momentum by working closely with airlines and tourism stakeholders to develop routes that create more travel opportunities and support the country's tourism ambitions.

"At the same time, growing our network must go hand in hand with improving the passenger experience. Our monthly performance reporting is intended to make service standards more transparent and ensure that we remain accountable for the quality and reliability of our airport operations."

At the Group level, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISG) handled 4.9 million passengers in September, an increase of 8.5% year-on-year. This brought the Group's cumulative passenger movements to 113.9 million for January–September 2026, up 0.7% compared with the corresponding period last year.

The monthly report will provide a consistent view of performance across key passenger touchpoints and help focus further service improvements at both terminals.

https://corporate.malaLinkysiaairports.com.my/en/about-us/reports/operating-statistics

SEPANG – KL International Airport (KLIA) welcomes the deployment of K9 units at strategic locations within its terminals as part of the 17 measures to strengthen airport security, enhance the detection of prohibited items and reinforce deterrence in high-traffic public areas and restricted zones.

The deployment will cover three key areas: the Departure Hall, the Arrival Hall and the baggage sorting area. This layered security approach aims to strengthen coverage across passenger-facing and back-of-house areas, complementing existing security arrangements.

Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, said that the deployment of K9 units will complement existing security arrangements and reinforce KLIA’s collective efforts to protect passengers, visitors and airport personnel, “This collaboration also allows our Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel to remain focused on their core responsibility of safeguarding airport users and facilities. We will continue to support the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) and the K9 units in ensuring that KLIA remains a safe, comfortable and clean airport for everyone.”

The K9 units will be stationed at the check-in areas to facilitate the early detection of prohibited items and potential security threats associated with targeted flights. Additionally, they will be deployed at the Customs inspection area to assist in detecting prohibited items, drugs and smuggled goods. Designated rest areas have also been identified at these locations, with handlers on hand to attend to the K9 units between patrols.

Beyond public areas, K9 units will also be deployed in the baggage sorting area to support security checks on checked baggage before it is loaded onto aircraft or transferred to the baggage reclaim area, extending security coverage to back-of-house operations.

To facilitate implementation, KLIA will coordinate with the relevant agencies on operational procedures, including the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs), designated access arrangements for K9 units and handlers, and the provision of appropriate support facilities within the terminals. A pilot phase will be carried out to assess the effectiveness of the selected locations and identify any necessary adjustments to passenger flows and deployment schedules.

The commencement of K9 operations inside the terminals is scheduled for 26 October 2026.

SEPANG – Malaysia Airports and Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) are strengthening their collaboration to advance aviation sustainability, recognising the need for closer alignment between airports and airlines in supporting Malaysia's transition towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The two organisations jointly hosted Aviation Sustainability Day 2026 at Sama-Sama Hotel, KL International Airport (KLIA), bringing together representatives from government agencies, regulators and industry partners to discuss practical approaches to decarbonisation, including adoption of cleaner energy, circular economy initiatives and waste reduction, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and more sustainable airport and airline operations.

Malaysia Airports Managing Director Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani said the transition would require airports and airlines to align their priorities, infrastructure planning and longterm investments.

"Malaysia Airports and Malaysia Aviation Group have long played complementary roles in shaping Malaysia's aviation landscape, with KLIA serving as MAG's home base and the country's principal international gateway. Our shared commitment to strengthening Malaysia's connectivity must now extend to advancing a more sustainable aviation future.

"Our respective decarbonisation journeys cannot progress independently. We must ensure that our investments and operational priorities complement one another so that we can achieve meaningful progress together."

MAG recently became the first airline group in ASEAN to achieve certification under the Sustainable Procurement module of IATA's Integrated Sustainability Program, and the first in Malaysia to retire CORSIA-eligible emissions units (EEUs), with 80,100 units retired towards its Phase 1 compliance obligations.

Building on these milestones, Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of MAG, said, "The progress of aviation sustainability reflects the spirit of Malaysia Inc, where government, regulators, airports, airlines and industry partners work together towards shared national objectives. Through MAG's Mid-Term Sustainability Roadmap 2026–2035, the Group is translating its net-zero commitment into measurable priorities across its operations and value chain. The next step is to turn these priorities into action through stronger partnerships and coordinated implementation across the aviation ecosystem."

Meanwhile, MAG's Mid-Term Sustainability Roadmap outlines the Group's priorities aligning with its Long-Term Business Plan 3.0 (LTBP3.0) across operations, facilities, the value chain, people and governance. The Group targets to reduce emissions intensity to 30%-35% by 2030 and 40%-45% by 2035, reduce building energy intensity by 20%, and achieving a 55% waste diversion rate by 2030.

MAG's collaboration with Malaysia Airports on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable energy, ground electrification and resource efficiency seeks to advance Malaysia's aviation decarbonisation agenda and strengthen Kuala Lumpur's competitiveness as a premier regional aviation hub.

Malaysia Airports' Net-Zero Decarbonisation Journey establishes a clear pathway to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 for Scope 1 (direct operational emissions) and Scope 2 (emissions from purchased energy), followed by selected Scope 3 emissions (those generated across its wider value chain) by 2050.

One of the key initiatives in this ongoing journey is the development of the 36MWp KLIA Aeropolis Solar Park, featuring 45MWh of battery energy storage to avoid approximately 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. This project serves as a cornerstone for a broader rollout of upcoming decarbonisation efforts across the areas of renewable energy expansion, terminal energy efficiency, Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL), and the progressive electrification of ground vehicles.

These commitments support the Malaysia Aviation Decarbonisation Blueprint and Malaysia's national ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as early as 2050, while contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, climate action and partnerships.

The event also provided an opportunity for industry stakeholders to explore closer cooperation in addressing the investment, infrastructure and operational challenges associated with aviation decarbonisation.