Members of the media viewing the aerotrain during a test run at the KLIA Terminal 1 on Friday (Jan 24). — Photo: AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star
SEPANG: The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) aerotrain is expected to be operational again by the second quarter of this year, says Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.
Its managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani said operations will commence once the full testing of the train is completed.
“All tests should be completed by April. We set the Q2 timeline in case further tests are needed.
“We are confident that it will be operational by Q2,” he told a media briefing on the project at Terminal 1 here on Friday (Jan 24).
He said the project is currently at 85% completion and now in the testing and commissioning phase.
This phase will see the aerotrain undergoing 80 critical tests including dynamic testing, as well as interface and systems integration tests.
The final test will be a fault-free run which requires the first aerotrain to run a total of 2,000km without any failures, and the two other aerotrains to run a total of 1,000km.
“These evaluations are conducted to ensure all safety, operational and performance features meet stringent regulatory requirements,” he said.
The evaluation will be supervised by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) to verify compliance and confirm the aerotrain's readiness for approval and commencement of full operations.
Izani said the new trains will have three coaches each and be able to ferry 270 passengers per trip, up from the previous capacity of 230.
He also said MAHB’s privatisation will not affect the aerotrains' management.
On Jan 15, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said there was no firm completion date for the project despite earlier reports it would resume operations by Jan 31.
On June 18, MAHB had said the Aerotrain Replacement Project was slated to be completed by Jan 31, three months ahead of schedule.
The airport operator said this expedited timeline was finalised through a contract signed on June 14 between Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd (MA Sepang), Alstom Transport Systems (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, and IJMC-Pestech JV, a joint venture between IJM Construction Sdn Bhd and Pestech Technology Sdn Bhd.
MA Sepang is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAHB.
The aerotrain has faced frequent scrutiny over recent years owing to several breakdowns.
On Feb 27, 2023 an aerotrain halted midway on the track from the main terminal to the satellite building.
A second train was immediately deployed for stranded passengers, but it experienced technical difficulties, forcing them to walk to the satellite building.
On March 1 the same year, 114 passengers were stranded when the aerotrain broke down and had to walk about 500m to the satellite building.
Ten passengers missed their flights because of the breakdown.