SEPANG: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is set to embark on baggage handling system (BHS) replacement exercise at the main terminal of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) beginning this year.
Corporate communication general manager Nik Anis Nik Zakaria said the airport operator would allocate between RM250 million and RM300 million to undertake the entire replacement exercise over a period of three years.
She added that MAHB expected to announce the replacement exercise via an open-tender this year.
“We (MAHB) are committed to improve the KLIA Main Terminal’s BHS as it has been operating more than 20 years.
“There are plans to upgrade and replace the overall system with newer technology migration to provide the best BHS to our passengers,” she said during Media Familiarisation Tour on the baggage handling system at klia2, here, today.
She said the familiarisation tour aimed at educating passengers on MAHB’s ongoing initiative to improve its services.
“The upgrade works for the KLIA Main Terminal’s BHS involve an extensive process with multiple parties from both airlines and airport operator for the automated conveyor and screening systems,” she said.
Nik Anis said the asset replacement exercise will be executed in phases and expected to complete by 2022, citing that MAHB operates a running airport.
“BHS assets at KLIA Main Terminal is coming to the end of life-cycle which requires system modernisation for seamless integration.
“We need to replace most of our screening and conveyor systems from the current high speed motor to ultra high speed motor,” she said, adding that the exercise would enable passengers to reduce their baggages’ average travelling time under 10 minutes.
MAHB Engineering division general manager Khairiah Salleh said the replacement exercise would require the company to re-configure a saviour (backup) line for the BHS conveyor, while installing better screening equipment and sorter systems for the baggages.
“KLIA Main Terminal has about 42km conveyor line and we expect to reduce travel time for the baggages. Both KLIA and klia2 handled 31 million baggages with 60 million passengers last year,” she said.
Khairiah said MAHB would need to build new conveyor with assistance from consultants and original equipment manufacturers to undertake the replacement exercise with a minimum disruption.
She cautioned that there are occurrences of short shipment (mishandled bags) due to transfer mishandling, ticketing and loading error and amongst others.
However, KLIA has lower short shipment index about 4.7 bags per 10,000 passengers in 2018, which was below than the industry standard for Asia related airport benchmark at 19.2 bags per 10,000 passengers.
The new BHS is expected to improve efficiency and provide better security screening for baggages for the main terminal and satellite building.
Currently, KLIA’s arrival on-time performance standard service level agreement (first bag) is about 20 minutes for the main terminal and 25 minutes for the satellite building.