Upgraded air traffic control systems can reduce flight time by 20 mins, says Loke

SEPANG: The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) will introduce two new systems to speed up flight arrivals at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA 2, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister said the new standard instrument departures (SIDs) and standard instrument arrivals (STARs) systems would be able to shorten arrival tracks by 18 to 22 minutes and ensure that flights will arrive on time, if not earlier.

Loke said both initiatives would commence on May 18, 2023 as pilots will need time to visualise the shortened routes.

"With a more efficient air control centre (Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre), air movement especially in KLIA can be optimised.

"KLIA is able to operate at a capacity of 108 planes per hour for arrivals and departures but this has not been optimised.

"The purpose of our systems (SIDs and STARs) is to shorten the landing track where flights sometimes need to circle for longer as it has a landing queue system, but with the newer system, this can be shortened," he said after a working visit to KLATCC here on Monday (Dec 2).

He added that with shortened flight times, airlines will also be able to decrease fuel usage and subsequently save on operating costs.

Loke said it was estimated that airline companies would be able to save RM500mil per year with the SIDs and STARs systems.

"This is a huge saving to airline companies. Not only that it will help the aviation industry, it will also reduce carbon footprints and help to mitigate climate change," he said.