SEPANG (April 29): The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) does not expect any further delays to the implementation of the Airport Quality of Services (QoS) Framework at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) beyond this year.  

This comes after it missed the previous full implementation target by 2023.  

The Airport QoS Framework implementation started with KLIA in September 2018, and is set to be gradually rolled out to other airports through 2027.

The 6,272-acre Bandar Sri Sendayan, which is part of the upcoming economic growth area of Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0, is a self-sustaining township in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan where residents will find daily conveniences on their doorstep. It is now offering premium living with Resort Villa, an exclusive RM135.9 million development that consists of just 34 two-storey bungalow villas

The Airport QoS outlines the minimum standards that Malaysia airport operators have to achieve, covering 28 areas of airport services, such as toilet hygiene, baggage handling and bus availability, among others.  

Mavcom director of consumer and public affairs Pushpalatha Subramaniam said the commission is confident of no further delays beyond 2024, as various agencies have provided their respective commitment to cooperate with airport operators, particularly Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), in achieving these service quality targets.

“We are quite clear because we have got cooperation with our agencies as well. In fact, in May, the queuing systems will be implemented,” she told reporters after a press briefing on the progress of implementing the Airport QoS Framework on Monday.

As of Monday, Pushpalatha said 20 out of the 28 elements outlined for quality improvements have been implemented at KLIA’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The remaining eight will be implemented within this year.

Starting from May 2024, Mavcom aims to implement another six elements, including the passenger security search, inbound and outbound customs, and transfer queuing for immigration, as well as inbound and outbound immigrations.  

The remaining two elements, which include check-in counters and kerbside pickup or drop-off areas, are scheduled to commence by the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q2024).  

Pushpalatha said the implementation delay was mainly due to the pandemic and the commission having required more time to coordinate with agencies like the Immigration Department of Malaysia and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.

“Firstly, with the pandemic, we put it on hold for two years, or close to two years; all the work has been put on hold. We started back the whole process after the pandemic (subsided) in 2021.  

“Secondly, it is not so straightforward for us to just implement and bulldoze through the elements. Lots of engagements are taking place. So we need to make sure that we come to a kind of agreement (with various agencies). There is no point for us to come up with the standards where it cannot be implemented. So, we have to be reasonable about it,” she said.

The remaining eight elements under the Airport QoS Framework that have not been implemented thus far are in relation to the queuing time of passengers, which requires cooperation from Immigration and Customs.

Since the implementation of Airport QoS Framework at KLIA in 2018, Pushpalatha said Mavcom has imposed a cumulative fine of RM2.9 million on MAHB for failing to meet the minimum required standards stipulated in the framework.

Although airport operators can be fined for failing to meet the Airport QoS standard, Mavcom is not empowered to fine agencies like the Immigration Customs.

Nonetheless, Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the commission will provide quarterly disclosures on its website, on whether these Airport QoS are met.

“Unlike MAHB, we cannot impose a penalty on Immigration. But what we can do under the Airport QoS is that we publish (the disclosures) onto our website. For example, if immigration is unable to or did not comply with the standard that they set, the public will know it, as we will publish it on our website” Saripuddin said.  

He expects such transparency could be maintained even after the merger of Mavcom and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

“Talking about the merger, though Mavcom [may] disappear, our role will be there. The CAAM is on the technical side, but Mavcom will continue and never stop [the] enhancements [and] introducing new initiatives. I think this is an ongoing concept,” Saripuddin added.  

Mavcom was spun off from then Department of Civil Aviation in 2016, to focus on the commercial aspect and consumer rights within the aviation industry; while the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) was transformed to CAAM, taking up the regulatory responsibilities of civil aviation’s technical matters.

The incumbent government has indicated its intention to consolidate these two agencies again, with Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook reportedly having said the bill for such a merger will be tabled in Parliament in June this year. 

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