Kuala Lumpur Airport (KL) has followed a worldwide trend by offering check-in facilities at the main city railway station for all resident airlines. The non-stop express then takes 28 minutes to the international airport with services every 15 minutes during peak periods.
Presently only Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Royal Brunei Airlines use the service at City Air Terminal (CAT). It is expected that most of the 43 airlines using KL will take up the offering.
In London, BA reversed this trend by first closing its facility at Victoria and subsequently at Paddington, both at a time when BAA and the authorities are trying to persuade travellers, where possible, to use public transport.
SITA has installed ten CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) check-in desks at CAT in good time for the 50th anniversary celebrations of Malaysia”s independence in August.
Express Rail Link (ERL) CEO, Dr Aminuddin Adnan said: ”Implementation of SITA”s AirportConnect CUTE platform at KL CAT is an exciting development. Now all airlines can offer city check-in in KL Central which will grow our business through delivering a common platform for all airlines to access advanced, integrated IT infrastructure that guarantees efficiency, reliability and support for airlines using the facilities.”
SITA”s Java-based Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled AirportConnect CUTE system offers end-to-end IP connectivity from host to the airport desktop, providing airlines with access to their own systems on an industry-open, multi-purpose platform. Each CUTE workstation uses a pre-integrated browser and is connected over IP to support the individual airline”s needs.
SITA”s regional vice-president, airport and desktop services for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Russ Lewis commented: ”We welcome this partnership with Express Rail Link which will simplify travel for many of the 25m passengers who use Kuala Lumpur International each year. This new project further enhances SITA”s position as the airline industry”s IT and communications solutions provider of choice in Malaysia where we are also working closely with the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines.”