KL International Airport

KL International Airport (KLIA), the international gateway to Malaysia is located in Sepang, 50 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur. Built on 10,000 hectares of land; it was officially launched on June 27th, 1998. This environmentally friendly airport, the first in the Asia Pacific region, was completed in four and a half years, making it the fastest airport ever built. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, KLIA is a spectacular feat of construction, combining futuristic technology, Malaysian culture and the rich, tropical splendor of its natural resources.

KLIA, the pride of all Malaysians is one of the most modern, sophisticated and preferred airports in the Asia Pacific region. The airport is a regional aviation hub capable of handling 25 million passengers per annum and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo. There are 47 airlines operating at KLIA and currently 23 million passengers have passed through. The opening of the first phase of KLIA comprised a main terminal building, a contact pier, a satellite building, two parallel runways of 4 km each, a control tower and a cargo warehouse. It was also made up of aircraft maintenance and flight catering facilities, car parks and other ancillary facilities.

Under the first phase, KLIA provides connections and transfers to an estimated 25 million passengers and 1 million tonnes of cargo annually. It is capable of handling about 72 movements per hour on a two-runway mixed mode operation.

KLIA’s main terminal building, a RM1.74 billion super structure, offers 241,000 square metres of office, public, retail and commercial space, located at various levels. On the landside of KLIA, there is the control tower, short and long-term car parks and a 10-storey, 450-room conventional hotel with five-star status to cater for tour groups, banquets and functions.

For domestic, trans-border and mixed flights, there are 30 stands to handle various types of aircraft at the contact pier.

The satellite building, located near the main terminal building, caters for international departures and arrivals. There is also an 80-room airside hotel for transit passengers here.

Both the main terminal building and the satellite building can serve all types of aircraft, from the B737 to the larger new generation aircraft, including the mammoth Airbus A380 double- decker passenger jet.

Wisely, the basic requirements for handling ‘Very Large Capacity Aircraft’ were incorporated in the initial design and construction of KLIA. As such, few modifications are needed to accommodate the A380.

Already, Malaysia Airports has embarked upon upgrading works to prepare KLIA’s airfield facilities and passenger terminals for the A380, with completion slated for the middle of this year.

The upgrading works involve resurfacing the airport’s runways, widening taxiways and runway shoulders, installing escalators, adding aerobridges and enlarging the lounge area. Upon completion, KLIA will be able to accommodate up to three A380s at any one time.

Innovative technology plays an important role in the operational efficiency of an airport. At KLIA, it pioneered the Total Airport Management System (TAMS), which consists of more than 40 systems and airport functions, including air traffic management, baggage handling, passenger check-in and flight information display. This has enabled it to enhance its efficiency, which ranges from ground systems and transportation to ease of transfer process.

As a believer in driving technology, KLIA is now a Wireless ‘Hotspot Airport’. This WiFi service, that was launched last year, was facilitated by the recent upgrade of the backbone network making KIA one of the most advanced airports in the world in terms of network infrastructure. The service is also provided free of charge for the passengers of KLIA.

As KLIA is one of the major gateways, it is the first touch point and impression a traveler has of Malaysia. To create a memorable brand experience, it strives to provide an unsurpassed level of customer service and support to the visitors. A family lane has been created at the immigration arrival hall for family members to rest while waiting for their passports to clear. In recognising the needs of the disabled, a special lane has been created and all assistance is provided to meet their requirements.

With airport shopping becoming an integral part of air travel, the shopping mall in the satellite building is being upgraded into a more vibrant mall featuring multiple products and international brands. This is in line with KLIA’s vision of making it the number one shopping destination in the region.

KLIA became the first airport in the world to have its own radio station when KLIA radio was launched in 2005. ‘Fly.fm’ goes beyond just being an airport radio station and caters not only to the 25 million passengers at KLIA, but also the 13 million radio listeners in the country. The radio station is being broadcast from the satellite building of KLIA.

With thousands of travelers passing through every day, a high level of safety and security features are vital to ensure the well-being of travelers. At KLIA, security personnel are well trained to handle sophisticated security equipment, weapons, surveillance and explosive detectors.

While an airport may have the most sophisticated equipments and security features in place, it is the human element that brings life to it. Front line staff and service providers exude the Malaysian warmth and customer service as they greet the new travelers into the country and welcome weary Malaysians back home. The environmentally friendly and green concept of KLIA “an airport in the forest and a forest in the airport” provides travelers with a pleasant and refreshing environment as they land at KLIA.

An airport is a microcosm of the nation and KLIA has always reflect Malaysia’s image as a progressive nation where her people are articulate, warm and yet are concern for the environment.

KLIA’s realises that the success of its brand lies not only on having a vision and blueprint, but on its execution. Travelers’ experiences at an airport play an important role in how they perceive and brand the country. Branding is, after all, perception. To ensure a flawless execution, KLIA will continuously nurture the intellectual capital of its human resources and cultivate a high performance culture within the organisation.

While training programs are conducted on the latest technologies used, a special Career Development Program (CDP) has been launched to enhance the professional performance of our staff. CDP adopts a holistic approach and addresses the career path of the staff, from the moment they joined the company until their retirement. This allows the employee to explore their career options and the company to develop a pool of talent, critical to the growth and success of KLIA.

Customer centric programs have been devised to enforce ‘Standard People Practices’ among the front line staff and achieve a new standard of customer satisfaction.

As a caring employer who takes care of its staff welfare, this will create staff loyalty by developing a strong buy-in to the brand.

Amidst all the challenges in the aviation industry, KLIA has done remarkably well to grow and position itself as the preferred airport in the region within the span of eight years. With businesses in the Asia Pacific region booming in the new millennium, KLIA is poised for further growth. Reasonable airport charges, along with the quality and quantity of connections available, make it an attractive hub to tap on the emerging opportunities.

Travelers have ranked KLIA’s service and facilities highly. It was twice voted as the Best Airport (15-25 million passengers per annum) in the 2005 AETRA Awards and 2006 ACI-ASQ Awards. In the same Awards, KLIA also won third place for both Best Airport Worldwide and Best Airport in Asia Pacific categories. Winning the awards is a testimony of KLIA’s ability to compete with the other more established International Airport. It has also placed Malaysia on the world map and has helped to position the brand globally.

Having won third place in the Best Airport Worldwide, the top spot is within reach as all the key parameters are in place. The differentiation point is going the extra mile to serve customers, which demands a culture of excellence in customer management capabilities. With the dedication and commitment of its staff, it will only be a matter of time before KLIA occupies pole position.

Dato’ Seri Bashir Ahmad

Dato’ Seri Bashir Ahmad was appointed as the Aviation Advisor to the Ministry of Transport Malaysia in 2001 and held the position until he became the Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad in 2003.

As the CEO of Malaysia Airports, he sets the direction of the company and manages the overall performance of the company, which includes the airports and several aviation as well as non-aviation related subsidiaries. Apart from the Malaysia Airports Main Board, Dato’ Seri Bashir Ahmad also sits on the Board of Finance and Investment Committee, Board Risk Management Committee and Board Planning and Development Committee of MAHB as well as some of the subsidiary Boards.