Travellers using the Aerotrain at KLIA Terminal 1. —AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
(MAHB) is working alongside the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) on a review into recent aerotrain service disruptions at KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1.
In a statement today, Malaysia Airports announced that KLIA is providing APAD with complete technical documentation and data, including information related to service incidents since the commissioning of the Aerotrain system on July 1, 2025.
"Since entering service, there have been three incidents, on July 12, Sept 3, and Oct 15, where the aerotrain service was temporarily halted and passengers were escorted to the terminal in accordance with our safety protocols.
"None of these incidents impacted other critical airport operations, as passenger flow between the main terminal and the satellite building remained uninterrupted via shuttle bus services,” it said.
MAHB said that while all incidents, including minor issues, are logged and reported to regulators under the MOT as mandated, only these three events necessitated a temporary pause in service.
"The July 12 and Sept 3 incidents involved loss of power caused by a dislodged current collector device (CCD), affecting the power feed on the guideway and resulting in train stoppages.
"These incidents fall under the scope of Alstom, the Aerotrain’s main contractor, responsible for the train and traction systems. Alstom had mobilised a team to restore service and completed a thorough investigation into the root cause of the incident,” it said.
Preliminary findings on the Oct 15 incident indicate that it was related to a power trip affecting both guideways, within the scope of works of the IJM-Pestech Joint Venture (IPJV), which is accountable for the power distribution system and installation works.
According to MAHB, all three incidents occurred within the defect liability period (DLP), during which the contractors are fully responsible for rectification, performance, and reliability.
"Multiple joint technical meetings have been convened with both Alstom and IPJV’s senior management to identify contributing factors and expedite corrective measures,” said MAHB.
It said that the aerotrain system had undergone a stringent testing, commissioning, and certification process before its launch.
"This process involved independent engineers and a full regulatory review to ensure compliance with all safety and performance standards.
"The airport will be appointing an independent assessor to complement the ongoing review and provide additional assurance on the power supply design, installation integrity, and overall system reliability, demonstrating our commitment to go beyond regulatory requirements in ensuring continued operational assurance,” it said.
Since commencing service, MAHB said that the three Aerotrain units have collectively carried more than 5.75 million passengers, completed over 42,000 trips, and achieved a cumulative operational service availability (OSA) of 99.23 per cent.
"Importantly, there have been no major disruptions that caused passengers to miss their flights. MAHB reiterates its commitment to ensuring that the KLIA Aerotrain system remains safe, reliable, and compliant with all regulatory standards and service level agreements,” it said.
MAHB added that passenger safety remains their utmost priority, and will continue to cooperate fully with APAD and the MOT to strengthen system performance and maintain public confidence. - Bernama
