SEPANG - KL International Airport (IATA Code: KUL) will be introducing ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology to disinfect all arriving baggage as its latest safety measure in curbing the COVID-19 outbreak. The UV radiation system is among several expedited Airports 4.0 initiatives to ensure that airport safety remains at the highest level. UV bulbs are installed in an enclosed tunnel within the baggage handling system (BHS) and will disinfect baggage automatically as it passes through the conveyor system. This latest safety measure will provide better safety assurance to passengers for their peace of mind.
According to group chief executive officer (Group CEO), Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, UV technology is used because the ultraviolet short wavelength has been proven to effectively eliminate surface contaminants such as mold, bacteria and other microbial biofilms. “It is crucial for us to continue our efforts in containing the spread especially with the recent increase in passenger movements with the recent lift in travel restrictions. We are currently installing 4 UV tunnels and with this we hope that it will mitigate the risk from infectious airborne microbial contaminants not only for passengers but also the ground staff handling the baggage."
Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh further emphasised, “KUL is undergoing a major upgrading exercise for its BHS to serve a larger capacity efficiently as part of its readiness when air travel resumes to normalcy. “The UV disinfection tunnels will be a permanent feature of the overall enhanced BHS. Passengers can be assured of their safety when collecting their clean and sanitised bags at the reclaim area. Exploring new technology and the latest global practices is part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and smooth passenger journey.”
The BHS at KUL has been recognised internationally and received numerous awards over the years. This year, our conveyor pulley system maintenance improvement initiative for BHS was awarded Gold at the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) Regional Innovation Showcase Team Excellence (RISTEx) Central Region 2020. The initiative went on to win the 5 Stars Award and was listed as the Top 20 Service Sector at the national level MPC Annual Productivity & Innovation Conference and Exhibition (APC) 2020. MPC, an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry benchmarks and generates local expertise in the field of productivity, quality, management and entrepreneurship.
The award-winning conveyor pulley system maintenance improvement initiative reduces the possibility of any BHS technical errors by 28% and has a projected cost avoidance as much as RM1.7 million during the next 5 years.