A special travel advisory to all passengers during the festive season
SEPANG - Malaysia Airports is working closely with various authorities to ensure a seamless and joyful travelling experience this Chinese New Year festive season so that passengers travelling though KL International Airport (KLIA) will experience a smooth and joyful journey. Together with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the airport operator held a press conference today at KLIA to inform the public on measures that will be taken by both parties in managing the expected surge in passenger numbers during the upcoming festive season.
According to KLIA Head of Operations, Mohd Arif Jaafar, “We are expecting an increase of nearly 40% to 180,000 daily passenger movements passing through both terminals from 14 to 18 February 2018. In catering to this surge, we will be placing more resources on the ground – not just by us, but also by other agencies at the airport. I am happy to note that PDRM has also given their commitment to this.”
Working in tandem with PDRM to ensure smoother traffic flow at the kerbside, there is now strict enforcement of a 2-minute limit pick up time. Installation of bollards at the pick up lanes will also prevent any unauthorised parking that will contribute to traffic congestion. To ensure a smooth flow at these lanes. According to Mohd Arif, during peak periods, about 55 vehicles per minute will pass through the terminal. Towing zones have also been introduced within the airport area to discourage indiscriminate parking that will endanger other motorists. Security patrol will also be increased during this time to ensure passenger security.
KLIA head of police, ACP Zulkifli Adamshah is hopeful that passengers heading to the airport will heed the recent traffic enforcement, “We want to take this opportunity to remind passengers to be mindful of road safety when travelling. Malaysia Airports has provided convenient and affordable parking facilities such as the 30-minute free parking at the 5,000-bay Long Term Car Park (LTCP) to those who are picking up passengers. In fact, I was made to understand that there is even a free shuttle bus service from LTCP to the terminals that operate at 15-minute intervals so there is no excuse for errant motorists.”
According to Malaysia Airports managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, “We are not only looking at traffic management. We have been in close talks with other stakeholders at the airport not only for the festive season but also in support of our ambition in becoming a service leader. However, our immediate concern now is the Chinese New Year period.”
“For example, the self-bag drop facility will be fully available at klia2 starting next week. This will definitely shorten queueing time for passengers as processing time at the check-in counters will only take 1 minute now if they use this facility. We have been sharing the passenger forecast with all our airline partners to make sure that they also are up to speed in managing the crowd. In fact, at KLIA Main Terminal, Malaysia Airlines has committed that all of their 74 check-in counters will be fully manned during the festive season,” Badlisham added further.
Passengers can also look forward to shorter lines and faster processing service at two other critical touchpoints - immigration and security screening. Previously it was announced that the Immigration Department has implemented a common counter system that will serve all types of passports. With the anticipated increase, Malaysia Airports has also added a further two cross-border immigration counters to cater to the increase in transfer passengers.
The most recent improvement at security screening is the display of the security screening video that provides clear instructions on what passengers are supposed to do when passing through the checkpoint.
At the press conference, Mohd Arif also mentioned that even the washroom cleaners are expected to increase their vigilance in monitoring cleanliness. Number of supervisors have been increased from the current 46 to 72 and some minor improvements have been put in place as well, such as the use of rubber mats in the cubicles to ensure that floors remain dry longer in view of the anticipated heavy usage.
Malaysia Airports also wishes to issue some travel advisory to passengers during this busy season:
- Please arrive at least three hours before your flight departure time.
- Do utilise public transport as much as possible in getting to the airport. It only takes less than 30 minutes by ERL.
- Please be mindful of traffic rules within the airport area. We have ample parking spaces at both terminals as well as a safe and convenient waiting area and 30-minute free parking facilities at the LTCP.
- Do utilise the automated processes that are available whenever possible such as web check-in, self-check-in kiosks, self-baggage-drop counters, and immigration autogates.
- If you are passing through KLIA Main Terminal, we encourage you to take advantage of the shuttle service instead of the Aerotrains as not only will it be a less crowded alternative, it is also fast, convenient and scenic. There will be 16 buses running continuously 24/7 between the contact pier and satellite building.
- Keep a lookout for the signage on nearest available washrooms in the event that the one you visited is fully occupied or is undergoing cleaning. There are a total of 238 toilets and 55 surau at both terminals the convenience of passengers.
- Should you require any assistance at the airport, please approach our CARE Ambassadors who can be easily recognised by their shoulder sash that says ‘Ask Me’.
On that note, Malaysia Airports wishes to wish everyone Gong Xi Fa Cai and have a happy journey!