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M. Sofian H.

KLIA Aerotrain Breakdown

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I got information from my twin who manage network operation for RapidKL Bus,

he told me that KLIA management will temporarily stop the Aerotrain service from

Main terminal building and Satellite building. For the alternative way,

they will use RapidKL buses (from Old Klang Road Depoh) as a shuttle bus to cater the passenger from MTB to Satellite (VV).

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This will be like Subang Terminal 2 all over again except that none of the buses will actually bring you to the actual aircraft stand and neither are any of the buses painted in MAS corporate scheme.

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Any idea on how long Aerotrains will be out of service?

 

It's so going to be fun for the pax trying to squeeze in and out of the buses with carry-ons...

 

 

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Pyan, any info how many RapidKL buses charted by MAB and when it will start??

 

Do the frequency of bus departure same as aerotrain time did before??

 

Jom spotting at Anjung Tinjau to see the RapidKL bus in action at KLIA,that nice...

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There are "bus terminals" at the basement of the MTB beneath the Aerotrain terminal as well as at the Satellite terminal in the C11-C17 Wings. They are equipped with escalators and lifts.

 

I would imagine that there are new trains as I recall a few months back Bombardier winning an order for an upgrade - could also have to do with the construction of a maintenance depot for the aerotrains between Satellite A and Satellite B reserve... it was always puzzling why MAHB relied on the two existing trains with no spare available in case of breakdown.

 

On the other hand, the suggestion that one aerotrain remains operable while the other line is upgraded makes perfect logical sense, however, I'm sure the engineers/contractors/KLIA management have evaluated this as an unuseable alternative given the nature of works that they need to carry out.

 

Here's hoping for new, more cooler looking trains anyway

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Anyone with exact dates when will this begin please?As my connecting flight to BKI is only 1hr50 minutes away from my scheduled touchdown time in KUL,but with both of my flights being MAS,I may be able to check in all the way to BKI,but I fear I will not have the time to visit the cathedral of plane viewing namely Anjung Tinjau..hehe...

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I'm not pushing it but,anyone with answers please?thank you

 

As long as the bus doesn't stop midway to pick up/drop off passengers (maybe tarmac workers), I think you'll have ample time. :lol:

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Don't worry. As of this week, only one track was closed for renewal work, with the other functioning. Hence, a couple of minutes longer wait and a little more crowded than usual. No bus required to shuttle between terminals.

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so here's a confirmation!

 

SEPANG: The Aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) linking the main and satellite buildings will be suspended for three months from November to facilitate maintenance works.

 

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the Aerotrain units were due for full servicing and maintenance works as they had been operating for 12 years and clocked about one million kilometres.

 

He said during this time, 16 buses would be used to transport passengers between the main terminal and satellite building.

 

"We want the public to know that we are not ending the service and there are no serious problems with the trains. I hope there is no speculation over the matter.

 

"Scheduled servicing and maintenance have to be carried out as the trains have been in use for such a long time," he told press conference here Thursday, after an official visit to the KLIA, Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and the Civil Aviation Department watch tower.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F8%2F5%2Fnation%2F20100805202628&sec=nation

 

And I also believe like what Sofian has said, it would be RapidKL operating the shuttle service. I have been seeing many RapidKL busses around KLIA/LCCT area this whole week with the green circle sticker - which means it's an authorised vehicle to enter the airside area. No beacons spotted on the busses yet, but I believe come November they'll be installed.

Edited by Sri Ramani K.

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3 months from November! :angry: How annoying. I'm going through KLIA a few times in November and December! And why are they choosing to do it then? When it's going to be school holidays and peak travel season?? They should've waited until February, after Chinese New Year when people's travel plans quieten down again...

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3 months from November! :angry: How annoying. I'm going through KLIA a few times in November and December! And why are they choosing to do it then? When it's going to be school holidays and peak travel season?? They should've waited until February, after Chinese New Year when people's travel plans quieten down again...

 

If forward planning is MAHB's forte, the situation of complete shut down for 3 months would not have occurred... as usual, hai...*Sigh*...! take the defeatist attitude and bear with it...watudo! and keep fingers and toes crossed that 3 months is 3 months

Edited by V Wong

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Shelved service depot behind aerotrain ops halt?

 

SEPANG, Aug 19 – Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) operations services chief Datuk Azmi Murad appeared to suggest today that the management’s decision to defer an originally planned maintenance depot is the reason why the country’s premier airport must suspend its aerotrain service for four months during the peak end-of-year holiday season.

The airport operator had announced it would shut down the train shuttle service ferrying mainly international passengers between the main terminal and the satellite building at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) from November 1 to March 15 next year.

 

Today Azmi revealed that the maintenance depot had been planned for from the start, when KLIA was being built, but was delayed because “at that point, there was no need [to build the maintenance facility] because the passenger numbers did not justify it yet”.

 

“Now is the time to do [so]. We have to do it progressively,” he said, attributing the push to execute construction to the increase in passenger movement.

 

The Malaysian Insider understands groundwork on the project started two years ago.

 

Azmi also said the shutdown was necessary to complete a RM208 million major overhaul of the train system, including regular maintenance that would not disrupt future service for the passengers.

 

He further explained that the management decided against modifying the system one line at a time after consulting engineering experts who advised about the high risks involved.

“If the train stops for whatever reason and we have to rescue passengers, it’s going to be very hard with limited platform space and the electricity still running,” Azmi said.

 

He noted that the hoardings to separate the track in operation from the other side being modified would halve the size of the platform.

 

Among the fixes are the construction of a spur-line alongside the main tracks, which will also route trains to an on-site maintenance depot for checks and repairs.

 

“It doesn’t look very nice to have maintenance at the station,” Azmi said during the media briefing today.

 

“When this is completed, we’ll have two trains running at all times. One [train] will be on standby [as a spare],” he added.

 

KLIA and its aerotrain line began operations in June 1998. The total number of passengers that passed through the airport that year amounted to 6.5 million, MAHB’s operational statistics showed.

 

Currently, KLIA sees some 20 million passengers a year. The figure is expected to grow to 22 million annually in the next four years, Azmi said.

 

The present dual-line train system spanning 1.3km has been running almost round-the-clock for the past 12 years but needed major fixes to provide a fully non-stop service.

 

At the moment, each line has to be stopped an hour daily for maintenance checks. A fuller maintenance check is carried out between midnight and 5am daily, which means that only one line is operational during the graveyard hours.

 

Azmi expects the aerotrain to resume service from March 16 next year, but admitted the service will only be running non-stop after September 2011, when its order of a new three-car train set arrives.

 

MAHB will be using a fleet of 12 buses to shuttle passengers between the main terminal and the satellite building in the meanwhile.

 

Azmi said he did not expect a drop in passenger numbers despite the inconvenience as there will be regular announcements and signs to direct the passenger traffic around.

 

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/Shelved-service-depot-behind-aerotrain-ops-halt/

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http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/19/nation/20100819211829&sec=nation

 

Just another quote to share from the link from TheStar:

 

"Many large airports around the world use only bus services to transport passengers," he told a press conference after a media briefing on the closure of the Aerotrain service Thursday.

 

This is why we are like this today, because we often compare "other countries", "other airports". When are we going to be pioneers of something that we can at least be proud of? :pardon:

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On Sunday 15th August at around 2.30pm, one of the trains decided to give up for about 15min at MTB. After arriving and passengers filled up the train, it did not leave for Satellite building. Passengers were trapped inside for around 3 minutes, then the doors opened, then closed. Hot like oven inside. Everyone panicked and got out the next instance the doors opened. This door closing-and-opening occurred for another 10 minutes without the train moving. No help was available and some passengers were visibly upset. Finally it left without a single passenger.

 

Another train came 2 minutes later, luckily not stuck this time. But still hot as oven inside and a maintenance personnel was noted to be using a device to measure the air-conditioner outlet temperature. Upon reaching satellite building, a few passengers were noted to be dashing frantically to their boarding gates.

 

High time for overhaul, MAHB. And long term planning, for goodness sake!

Edited by V Wong

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Shelved service depot behind aerotrain ops halt?

 

SEPANG, Aug 19 – Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) operations services chief Datuk Azmi Murad appeared to suggest today that the management’s decision to defer an originally planned maintenance depot is the reason why the country’s premier airport must suspend its aerotrain service for four months during the peak end-of-year holiday season.

 

Today Azmi revealed that the maintenance depot had been planned for from the start, when KLIA was being built, but was delayed because “at that point, there was no need [to build the maintenance facility] because the passenger numbers did not justify it yet”.

 

“Now is the time to do [so]. We have to do it progressively,” he said, attributing the push to execute construction to the increase in passenger movement.

 

The Malaysian Insider understands groundwork on the project started two years ago.

Here are some photos of the depot from my last travel.

 

DSC09555.jpg

 

DSC09556.jpg

 

DSC09557.jpg

 

DSC09558.jpg

 

DSC09559.jpg

 

DSC09560.jpg

 

DSC09562.jpg

 

 

This is why we are like this today, because we often compare "other countries", "other airports". When are we going to be pioneers of something that we can at least be proud of?

And always compare with inferior countries and facilities. Do they think Changi would even suggest to bus their passengers between Terminal 1, 2 and 3 should their Skytrain breaks down?

 

 

If forward planning is MAHB's forte, the situation of complete shut down for 3 months would not have occurred... as usual, hai...*Sigh*...! take the defeatist attitude and bear with it...watudo! and keep fingers and toes crossed that 3 months is 3 months

The article just confirmed that it will be completed in September 2011. That is like a year and a month away from today. Hooray!

 

Let see if this aerotrain issue would have any impact to the airport statistic thread.

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Do they think Changi would even suggest to bus their passengers between Terminal 1, 2 and 3 should their Skytrain breaks down?

If the Skytrain does go inop, bussing those pax about inter-terminal may prove the more desirable option

The alternative may be having to walk the distance :p

 

Wonder what, if any measure(s) they have over at Changi to mitigate problem should they ever face same situation as what we have at KLIA now ?

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KLIA aerotrain was shut down for extended period a few years ago, what was the maintenance at that time?

 

When the 3rd carriage was added a few years, why MAB didn’t take the opportunity to overhaul?

 

Why MAB didn’t buy an extra set of train for replacement? So that interruption could keep to the minimum.

 

Why overhaul during peak season? Opportunity to hire more buses?

 

:sorry:

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