I FACED significant difficulties at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when I recently arrived from a trip abroad.
Upon arrival at the satellite terminal, I was met with overwhelming congestion while waiting for the bus to take us to the main terminal; it took approximately 20 minutes just to board it. I saw hundreds of frustrated foreign passengers, many of whom voiced complaints about the situation.
At the main terminal, I faced another long queue for immigration clearance, where only two autogates were available for Malaysian passport holders. To my dismay, some foreign passengers jumped the queue to use these dedicated autogates, further complicating the situation. It is crucial for immigration authorities to control the queuing process to ensure fairness and efficiency.
After finally clearing immigration, I proceeded to Carousel F to collect my luggage, only to find myself waiting for more than half an hour. Upon inquiring, I learned that my luggage had actually arrived much earlier and had been placed aside for collection. This lack of communication added to my frustration and ticked off many other passengers too. Additionally, I noticed that due to the heavy load the carousel frequently stopped, requiring manual intervention from airport staff, which only prolonged the wait.
In total, it took me an hour and a half to exit the airport, an experience that I believe is unacceptable for any international gateway. The authorities managing KLIA must take immediate action to address these issues, as they significantly affect the overall passenger experience. Improvements in bus scheduling, immigration processing, and baggage handling are essential to ensure that KLIA lives up to its reputation as a major international airport.
I hope that bringing these concerns to light will encourage the relevant authorities to implement the necessary changes for a smoother travel experience.
MUTHUKRISHNAN MURUGIAH
Seremban 3
