SEPANG – An individual who triggered a hoax bomb threat involving a local departure flight at KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 was detained and handed over to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for further action.

The incident was first reported at 1732hrs, 2 December 2025, shortly before the scheduled flight departure. The Aviation Security team activated the required response protocols, secured the area and coordinated with the relevant authorities. All passengers remained safe throughout the process. The flight later departed with the remaining passengers at 1919hrs.

Aviation Security, together with PDRM and the bomb disposal unit, completed detailed assessment of the scene. Authorities declared stand down at 2058hrs, confirming that the situation was safe and the incident was a hoax.

Airport operations continued without disruption. Malaysia Airports reminds all travellers that making false threats is a serious offence under Malaysian law.

SEPANG – Following a successful three-month trial, KL International Airport (KLIA) will begin full enforcement of its Vehicle Access Management System (VAMS) on 1 December 2025. The system is intended to keep kerbside traffic smooth, reduce congestion, curb touting, and strengthen overall safety and security within the area. 

The trial phase has shown changes in driving behaviour. Over the past three months, the number of vehicles exceeding the 10-minute kerbside limit dropped from 50% to 21% showing strong user cooperation and a marked reduction in congestion. The trial period data affirms the need to transition into full enforcement over phased stages. 

Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said that data from the trial showed that kerbside congestion improves when vehicles observe the 10-minute limit, “The vast majority of KLIA users have done so. With full enforcement starting 1 December at T1, we are ensuring that terminal access remains orderly and that everyone has a fair chance to use the drop-off and pick-up lanes efficiently. This consistency is especially important as we enter the year-end travel peak and gear up for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.” 

VAMS uses License Plate Readers (LPR) to capture the exact entry time of each vehicle. A 10-minute grace period is applied for quick drop-offs and pick-ups. Digital screens on-site display the license plates of vehicles that exceed the 10-minute limit. Upon exit, the system automatically calculates the total duration of stay. Vehicles that exceed the limit will be charged a penalty, up to a maximum of RM100. Payment can be made via Touch ‘n Go, credit card and MyDebit.

This targeted enforcement approach is designed to ensure lanes remain continuously available for passengers and to maintain orderly terminal access.

Drivers who require more time to wait, several alternative waiting areas are available, including the Short-Term Car Park (STCP) with 15 minutes of free parking, the Long-Term Car Park (LTCP) offering 30 minutes free, and the KLIA Public Waiting Area, which is a designated free waiting zone.

SEPANG – In October, the Malaysia Airports Group registered 12.8 million total passenger movements across its local network and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (ISG). Of this, 69% (8.8 million passengers) were handled by the Group’s airports in Malaysia, comprising 4.6 million international and 4.2 million domestic passengers. ISG accounted for the remaining 4 million. Collectively, these volumes brought year-to-date passenger movements to 125.7 million, an 11.8% increase from 112.5 million during the same period last year. 

Managing Director Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said, “Recent challenges have made us more deliberate in strengthening proactive risk mitigation across our network. Managing 39 airports nationwide means constant coordination, anticipating issues early, and keeping operations steady the vast majority of the time. With passenger movements gaining healthy momentum, we are sharpening our focus on vigilance, readiness and flexibility. As we approach the year-end peak and prepare for Visit Malaysia 2026, our priority is clear - ensure our capacity, service levels, and facilities remain consistently reliable for all passengers.” 

As the country’s main gateway, KL International Airport (KLIA) recorded 5.4 million passenger movements in October, up from 5.3 million the previous month. To keep pace with this growing traffic, KLIA has rolled-out a series of passenger-experience initiatives across both terminals, such as improving kerbside flow, enhancing wayfinding and refreshing key passenger touchpoints. These efforts include the implementation of Vehicle Access Management System (VAMS) at the kerbside and refurbishment of boarding lounges at Terminal 2 into open concept spaces. All these initiatives are part of a broader programme to deliver a more seamless experience as traffic continues to rise. 

International connectivity was further strengthened in October 2025 with Scoot Airlines launching two weekly flights between Singapore and Kota Bharu, improving regional access and supporting tourism development on the East Coast. 

As the final quarter progresses, Malaysia Airports is working closely with airlines partners, and relevant stakeholders across its network to support schedule resilience, resource planning and peak-season coordination. This includes aligning terminal operations, strengthening on-ground support and ensuring that all stakeholders are ready for heightened traffic levels leading into VM2026.

SEPANG - KLIA has completed its review of the water leakage incident at Terminal 1 on 14 November 2025. The incident occurred during active roof restoration and waterproofing works on the main terminal building - part of ongoing maintenance to address aging infrastructure.

The roofing contractor was conducting scheduled sealing works on drainage points when lightning activity intensified across the KLIA area. In line with safety protocols, work was immediately suspended and the team evacuated the rooftop. In their haste to vacate due to the severe weather conditions, the contractor failed to remove plywood used to cover drainage points for safety, leaving one of the roof drainage systems obstructed. 

When exceptionally heavy rainfall followed, the blocked drainage prevented water from flowing off the roof as designed. This resulted in large volumes of water accumulating on the rooftop, which subsequently leaked through the terminal ceiling into the departure hall. 

Response teams cleared and secured the affected areas within 1.5 hours, and all systems resumed normal operations safely. 

The contractor’s failure to remove the plywood covering as a required process is the direct cause of the severe leakage. This is an unacceptable lapse in basic work procedures that falls below the standards expected of contractors working on critical airport infrastructure. 

KLIA is held to the highest standards by the travelling public, and we are committed to holding our contractors and partners to those same standards. KLIA is taking decisive action with the contractor to address this poor performance. 

We are also working with the contractor to institute immediate improvements to their work procedures, including mandatory consultation of meteorological forecasts prior to commencing rooftop works, and strengthened contingency protocols for immediate work suspensions during severe weather. 

The roofing works are part of a year-long project that commenced in April 2025 to restore and waterproof the main terminal roof, forming a key component of Malaysia Airports' broader infrastructure renewal programme.