Anthony Loke: KLIA Shuttle Buses To Solve Aerotrain Operation Issues

Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke reported last Saturday on his Facebook page that the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) shuttle buses between the main terminal and its satellite terminals would now operate around the clock. This would be a counter measure to combat the teething problem with the irregular aerotrain service that is available now.

With these buses in place, Loke hopes for reduced dependency on the aerotrain which at the moment is running at half its capacity as one of the two trains is still down due technical problems. The travel time on the shuttle bus between the main terminal and satellite is around four minutes.

According to him further, the aerotrain issue is already in Malaysian Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) radar with upgrades and new train sets on the way but will take another 2 years before completion. Hence the decision to rely more on the shuttle buses. Loke also mentioned that by Mac 2023, more long buses will be added to the fleet for passenger convenience.

Another measure to reduce the dependency of the aerotrain for the time being taken is by allowing more wide-body aircraft such as the A350 used for international flights to be parked at the Main Terminal (subject to bay availability) and to have all domestic flights to also operate out of this terminal. By doing this, passengers can continue walking to the immigration counter and baggage claim located in the same building and only transit passengers would need the aerotrain or bus to the satellite terminal.

Furthermore, all MAHB staff and employees at the retail shops at the satellite terminal except Pilots and Cabin Crews will be forbidden to use the aerotrain facility and are only allowed to use the shuttle buses. Manpower at the checkpoints to manage the movement of passengers and help passengers who need assistance will also be increased.

Loke also added, “I am confident in the commitment of the MAHB management to continue to improve and improve the quality of service at KLIA and other airports”. “I do not deny that we are facing operational problems at KLIA, especially aerotrain, but all responsible parties must have the courage to face and manage the problem!”.