With Malaysia’s borders reopening, national carrier Malaysia Airlines has taken the opportunity to gradually increase its frequencies and network, aiming to reach around 70% of its pre-pandemic capacity by the end of this year. .

In an email response, the airline said it planned to increase capacity by a further 25% on top of a 20% projection made much earlier, in light of the reopening of the borders of the Malaysia on April 1.

This year, the focus is on rebuilding the airline’s domestic network and increasing frequencies to key international markets, as it expects an influx of foreign leisure travelers eagerly awaiting the ” connection trip”, which consists of reuniting with their families and loved ones.

The airline is currently seeing increased demand from India on its main route, as well as from the UK and Australia to Malaysia. It recently increased frequencies on its flagship Kuala Lumpur-London route to 11 times a week and will return to double daily services from July 1.

The carrier has also restored regular services to major Indian cities, namely New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad after almost 24 months of suspension due to the closure of borders between Malaysia and India. The airline now operates 25 weekly flights to and from India.

Coinciding with the reopening of borders on April 1, Malaysia Airlines has increased its capacity on the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok route from four times a week to seven, as well as on the Kuala Lumpur-Phuket route from weekly flights to three times a week.

Also since April 1, Malaysia Airlines has extended its services to Bali to twice a week.

Frequencies on the Kuala Lumpur-Sydney route have been increased from four to seven times a week, and on the Kuala Lumpur-Perth route to five times a week, from four, following continued demand for travel from the region Australasia.

Domestically, the load factors from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak were described as “very encouraging”.

The airline increased its weekly capacity from Kuala Lumpur to the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak from 45 to 70 times a week last November, just two weeks after the government allowed interstate travel to resume.