KUALA LUMPUR (July 16): The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) aerotrain is expected to resume operations by the first quarter of 2025, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

In a written parliamentary response to Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (Perikatan Nasional-Merbok), Loke said the Aerotrain Replacement Project at KLIA is slated for completion by Jan 31, 2025, two months ahead of the original planned date.

The aerotrain replacement project is currently being undertaken by a consortium consisting of Alstom Transport Systems (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, IJM Construction Sdn Bhd (IJMC) and Pestech Technology Sdn Bhd.

In January 2024, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) announced an agreement with Alstom and the IJMC-Pestech joint venture to steer the aerotrain replacement project back on track, with an expected completion date of March 31, 2025.

"To expedite the implementation timeline of the aerotrain replacement, MAHB signed a new agreement with Alstom on June 14, 2024, to ensure that this project is successfully completed by Jan 31, 2025," Loke said.

He assured that the Transport Ministry and MAHB are committed to ensuring the project runs smoothly and on schedule.

Alstom and Pestech were the original contractors for the train replacement project. MAHB terminated Pestech from the contract in August last year, citing “non-performance, compromising significant project milestones, and risking delays to deliver the project within the required deadline.”

The three-year aerotrain replacement project originally had two deadlines: the first in July 2024 for the first of the two aerotrains to be operational, and the second in March 2025 for full completion, with both aerotrain services spanning about 1.5km.

The 25-year-old aerotrain was suspended in March last year after a major breakdown that resulted in 114 passengers being stranded midway. This occurred during the replacement programme, which was awarded to Pestech in December 2021, with Alstom supplying the aerotrain. 

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/node/719270