KLIA Aerotrain Breaks Down Again; MOT, APAD Step In

The KLIA Aerotrain has reportedly broken down again. In the latest incident early Tuesday morning, passengers were reportedly forced to walk along the dark platform with their luggage and kids after the train stalled mid-route between terminals, Malay Mail has reported.

As of writing, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which operates the service, has yet to issue any official statement on the gltich.

The Aerotrain, relaunched on July 1 after a RM456 million upgrade has faced frequent technical issues, recording 19 service disruptions between July and Sept, according to Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah. 

Most were linked to power and signalling faults.

Frustration among travellers has been mounting, especially after MAHB promised improved reliability when the system resumed operations following years of delays.

Following the latest failure, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has been directed to investigate MAHB’s handling of the Aerotrain.

“While MAHB was given time to adjust initially, strict action will be taken for any future service failures,” Loke stressed.

Under the Land Public Transport Act 2010, MAHB could face fines of up to RM250,000 per offence if found breaching its licence obligations to provide reliable service. The repeated breakdowns have angered the public, with many questioning how such expensive upgrades still result in unreliable service at one of Malaysia’s busiest airports.

Statement after statement, yet nothing changes. It’s time for the Transport Ministry to really step up because as foreign media like China Press start reporting on this, it’s becoming an embarrassment for the country.