PETALING JAYA: A lack of staff supervision could be a reason for Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) poor showing on international rankings, said National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He called for more supervision on airport staff as one area in which the airport can improve.
“Poor supervision, lackadaisical attitude and inadequate budgets have always been cited as the main reasons for poor maintenance (at the airport).
“Supervisors must ensure their subordinates perform their duties as scheduled and according to standard operating procedure,” he said.
The Star reported on Monday that KLIA was ranked 34th last year compared with 24th in 2016 in a survey by Skytrax, a British-based consultancy.
The report quoted Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali as saying that KLIA’s passenger facilities will be revamped in a bid to improve its international ranking.
Lee, who uses the airport once every two weeks, said the revamp is long overdue.
One of the areas where tighter supervision is needed is the handling of luggage trolleys, he said.
“Workers forcefully stack them together in the bays, making it difficult for users to retrieve the trolleys,” he said. Other areas of improvement include baggage retrieval time, the aerotrain service, and restroom cleanliness.
He also said the aerotrain service must be improved through regular maintenance to reduce disruptions, which have affected KLIA’s image among visitors.
“The Government has spent billions to build KLIA and KLIA2 but what is regrettable is the lack of maintenance.
“This has to be rectified. Every effort must be made to inculcate the culture of maintenance and safety,” he said, and reminded all those in positions of authority at the airport to never shirk their responsibility.
Did you find this article insightful?
