The new RM456 million Aerotrain at Kuala Lumpur International Airport has broken down yet again, forcing bewildered travellers to walk the tracks in the dark and raising fresh concerns about reliability at Malaysia’s main aviation hub.
Passengers travelling between the main terminal and the satellite building at KLIA found themselves on foot early this morning (October 28) after the airport’s Aerotrain system suffered yet another malfunction. Witnesses say luggage and trolleys were carried along the tracks in the dark as the automated people-mover came to a halt.
Despite repeated promises of reliability, the system has seen a troubling string of breakdowns. In one test case of how far passengers are expected to walk, a February 27, 2023 incident stranded travellers midway between terminals in the dead of night. Just days later, on March 1, a more widely covered breakdown left 114 passengers to trudge 500 metres along the tracks and saw at least 10 individuals miss their flights. The system was subsequently shut down for replacement and upgrades, with officials saying the train had reached the end of its 25-year life cycle.
Following a number of delays, the KLIA Aerotrain was relaunched on July 1, 2025 after a RM456 million upgrade that halted its services for more than two years. According to the airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), one early disruption — even when the system was no longer officially in shutdown — was blamed on a faulty drainage pump and tunnel flooding after heavy rain. Yet the latest incident appears to stem from a sudden power disruption.
Between July 2 and September 30 this year, the system recorded 19 service disruptions, though it had achieved a reported 99.19% operational availability during the same period, Transport Deputy Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah told the Dewan Rakyat. He noted that the system remains within a two-year defect-liability period, explaining that both mechanical and signalling systems are still being fine-tuned.
While MAHB says safety and continuity are priorities, passengers caught in today’s breakdown say their experience was less reassuring. Some had to carry carry-on luggage along the track walkway linking the terminals. One passenger described the scene as “a major disruption” and said staff seemed unprepared for the level of inconvenience.
Speaking to reporters earlier this year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke insisted the glitches were “not breakdowns but software bugs,” pointing out the system’s monthly passenger volume of 1.5 million and urging the airport operator to demand better from contractors. The minister also revealed MAHB could face fines up to RM190,000 per month for failure to meet performance standards.
MAHB reaffirmed that contingency measures were in place, including alternative shuttle buses between the terminals. Their September statement confirmed the Aerotrain had resumed 24-hour service following night-time maintenance from August 18-31, designed to fine-tune the refurbished system.
Still, critics argue that the infrastructure-heavy upgrade and high-profile relaunch have done little to mitigate passenger risk. The airport remains Malaysia’s main international gateway, and persistent disruptions pose embarrassing reputational threats, especially ahead of major regional events and Malaysia’s 2026 Visit Malaysia Year campaign.
For travellers moving through KLIA, the message is simple: allow extra time and stay alert to alternate transport links between the terminals. Behind the scenes, the Aerotrain must move swiftly from crisis-management mode to consistent reliability if it is to meet its promise of seamless transit. So far, that’s a promise that’s not being kept.
Sources: Malay Mail, The Star, Business Today, New Straits Times
