SEPANG: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will introduce the "airside transfer check-in service” at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and klia2 from next year.

Managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said passengers with other onward international destinations would no longer be required to check out their baggage at the main terminal where they arrive.

"The service will be introduced at the KLIA and klia2 as both airports are main transit locations for passengers leaving for other countries or destinations.

"More interestingly, passengers and their respective baggage will also be transferred free between both terminals" he added.

He told reporters this after attending the launch of the 70 years of establishment of the Airport Fire and Rescue Services (AFRS) in Sepang on Wednesday.

Badlisham said the Airside Transfer using buses is part of the modernisation plan of the company towards enhancing customer service in the future and aimed at those passengers changing aircraft or in transit for more than an hour.

He also said that the MAHB aims to also improve the availability of the aerotrain service from 97% at present to 99.3% next year.

"Among the steps being taken to finetune and improve the transport service which connects the KLIA main and satellite buildings is to completely replace the aerotrain with a new set.

‘"That is a long-term goal, but until it is agreed upon, we will undertake maintenance of the existing aerotrain to improve availability as well as avoid interruptions.”

The KLIA handles 27 million passengers annually from the 67 airlines companies using the facility.