Kuala lumpur: The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), as the country's sole aviation regulator, has been directed to investigate the breakdown of the Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 yesterday. Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) takes the incident seriously, noting that the disruption caused baggage delays of between two and four hours for a significant number of arriving passengers. He expressed regret over the inconvenience caused.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, while the BHS system was restored the same evening, Transport Minister Loke emphasized that a technical restoration does not close the matter. Passengers using the national gateway deserve reliable service standards, which this incident failed to meet. CAAM has been tasked to investigate the incident and determine if punitive action is warranted against Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for this service delivery failure.
Loke has instructed MOT Secretary-General Datuk Seri Jana Santhiran Muniayan to convene an emergency meeting with relevant agencies on Monday morning. The meeting will review existing standard operating procedures for breakdown management at airports, focusing on response time, passenger communication, and contingency protocols. Emphasizing accountability, Loke pointed out that MAHB will be held responsible for the breakdown and highlighted the need for a culture of responsibility to support aspirations of being a world-class airport.
CAAM confirmed in a separate statement that operations at KLIA Terminal 1 have stabilized following the temporary BHS disruption. The system has been restored, and airport operations, including check-in and departures, have returned to normal. The regulator continues to oversee the recovery process, ensuring full operational stabilisation and compliance with safety and service standards.
MAHB is required to adhere to established Quality of Service (QoS) standards, including timely and efficient passenger baggage handling. CAAM is enforcing compliance with these standards and will take regulatory and enforcement actions if necessary. MAHB must also implement corrective and preventive measures to prevent recurrence. CAAM reiterated its commitment to maintaining the highest safety, service quality, and efficiency standards in Malaysia's aviation sector, ensuring accountability across all regulated entities.