PETALING JAYA: The resumption of the long-awaited aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport will be a boost for Malaysia’s tourism, but measures should be taken to ensure no future breakdowns, say tourism groups.

They also urged for shuttle bus services, which served as a stopgap measure during the two years that the aerotrain was not in service, to continue operating and complement the aerotrain service.

Malaysian Tourism Federation president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said the return of aerotrain services is timely, urging for better reliability on the services.

“While there were previous instances of breakdowns due to technical issues, we hope that the chance for such errors is close to zero now and that the aerotrain can run smoothly,” he said.

He said the resumption of aerotrain services provides tourists with an opportunity to form a positive first impression of Malaysia.

Despite it being the centre of attention, Tan said the bus services, which were employed as a stopgap measure during the aerotrain’s absence, are no less reliable.

“It should continue operating, especially during peak seasons when many passengers are expected to use the airports.

“This includes Malaysia’s school holiday period and also whenever the country is expected to host a major event,” he said.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Nigel Wong said the aerotrain service is essential for reinforcing the branding of Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 as Malaysia’s premier airport.

“We need to learn from our past mistakes so as not to experience further breakdowns.

“While it has been out of service for over two years, we are confident that this was due to ensuring the aerotrain’s services are delivered optimally,” he said.

Similarly, he also said bus services could be used whenever there was a need to handle increased passenger capacity.

“Many other airports also have a secondary transport service, like buses, to complement their train services. This can be applied here as well,” he said.

He also urged further improvements to the country’s mobility infrastructure to allow tourists to fully experience Malaysia’s diverse offerings.

“This will greatly increase the effectiveness of Malaysia’s tourism strategies, as such projects allow tourists to move easily across the country,” he said.

The aerotrain replacement project, which is currently in its final testing phase, is set to begin operations on July 1.

It serves to transport travellers from the main terminal building to the satellite terminal building and vice versa.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said it will undergo several more tests over the coming days, which will include a test of the emergency response plan conducted alongside the relevant authorities.