Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is aggressively positioning Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to compete with Singapore and Bangkok as Asia-Pacific's premier aviation hub, with chief aviation and strategy officer Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin targeting 12 new foreign airlines in 2025.
KLIA achieved impressive growth with 30 million passengers in the first half of 2025, marking a nearly 10% increase compared to 2024, while maintaining average load factors around 78%.
MAHB has intensified its networking efforts over the past two years through major industry events like Routes World and Routes Asia, with current negotiations focusing on European national carriers that don't yet serve KLIA, alongside continued engagement with Chinese and Middle Eastern airlines.
The airport operator is adopting a comprehensive ecosystem approach, with regional airports including Penang International, Kota Kinabalu International, Langkawi International, and Kuching International airports serving as supporting hubs that feed into KLIA's international connectivity network.
Kuala Lumpur's strategic push comes as the airport has been ranked second in global connectivity, positioning Malaysia to challenge the long-established dominance of Singapore's Changi and Bangkok's airports in Southeast Asia's competitive aviation landscape.
