Yangon International Airport handled only 8,857 international flights over the six months of this year since the Covid-19 outbreak, a decline of 51 percent compared to the same period last year, according to sources from Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited (YACL) providing services at the airport. 

In the period, Yangon Airport, the main entry and exit of Myanmar, provided services for only 1.5 million local and foreign air passengers, reaching the lowest level in five years. 

YACL took charge of providing Yangon airport services in 2015 and since then, this year has seen the lowest rate of international flights affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Except for relief flights and air freights, international flights have been suspended since March 29 this year. 

From January to June this year, inbound and outbound international flights declined by 51 percent with only 8,857. Moreover, there were only 13,151 domestic flights declining by 22 percent. 

Major flights between Yangon and foreign countries such as Thailand, Singapore, China, Korea, and Vietnam have also declined by 65 percent. 

Under the directives from the Civil Aviation Department and Myanmar Covid-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment Central Committee, international flights at all international airports in the country were halted on March 29. According to the latest announcement, the suspension has been extended until July 31. 

Income from international airlines has declined by 53 percent over the past five months.