Anthony Loke, Transport Minister, recently announced that the Aerotrain at KLIA1 is set to resume operations soon. In a brief Q&A during the groundbreaking ceremony at the Selangor Aero Park (SAP), he told media that they will be the first to test the aerotrain before it becomes operational.
Aerotrain services were suspended indefinitely back in 2023, after the mode of transportation suffered two critical and major breakdowns. One train halted midway during travel between the main terminal and satellite building. A second train that was deployed also experienced technical difficulties and forced travellers to leg it to the satellite building.
MAHB was initially supposed to get the new Aerotrains up and running at the end of January this year but, as these things usually go, it delayed the launch to the second quarter of the year. Financially speaking, the project costs RM742.95 million with its completion rate at 85% at the start of the year.
While the Loke did not provide a specific date, his announcement is still welcome. In this writer’s eyes, the breakdown and dereliction of the Aerotrain service has been nothing short of a national embarrassment. As a transit hub and final stop for international travellers, having both departing and arriving travellers take buses out to their respective terminals, while the trains and their tracks become decrepit over the years, undoubtedly raises questions and, more importantly, is an eyesore.
(Source: The Star)
