Located in the southern part of the state of Selangor is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). It is the country’s main international airport with the slogan “bringing the world to Malaysia and Malaysia to the world”. KLIA sits in Sepang which is about 50km from Kuala Lumpur city, an estimated 40 minute drive. It is one of the major aviation hubs in the region together with Singapore Changi Airport and Bangkok’s International Airport.
KLIA boasts the latest in technology and it is designed to handle up to 100 million passengers per year. 100 million passengers might seem little for an airport of such magnitude but KLIA has been specifically designed to disperse the traffic to all corners rather than to concentrate them. That way, the airport is more spacious and comfortable. The layout is simple so it is easy to navigate and signs are posted in Malay, English, Mandarin, Japanese and Arabic. The airport is fully equipped with facilities for the disabled. In addition, Travelators are installed to allow easy flow of traffic.
KLIA consists mainly of 3 sections, the Main Terminal, the Satellite Terminal and the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). The main terminal is home to domestic flights. Other facilities in the main terminal include restaurants, ATM’s, a fitness centre and many more. The Satellite Terminal accommodates the international flights to and from Kuala Lumpur. It is connected to the main terminal by the Aerotrain. It is within the Satellite terminal that duty free shopping is available. There is a wide variety of international brands available as well such as Burberry, Dunhill, Mont Blanc and Mango.
The LCCT is the latest addition to KLIA. It was built with the purpose of accommodating the growing traffic for low cost carriers. AirAsia is one of the main carriers that utilises the LCCT. Being the Low Cost Carrier Terminal, it doesn’t have the luxury of Travelators and escalators. Just the basics have been installed but it is sufficient for quick and easy departures and arrivals.
One of the features of KLIA is the KLIA Ekspres. It connects KLIA with KL City Air Terminal (KL CAT) at a fee of RM35 one way. The journey by express train only takes 28 minutes and KL CAT is conveniently located at KL Sentral. To add more convenience, passengers can check in their luggage at KL CAT for flights on Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Royal Brunei Airlines. For a ride to and from the LCCT, feeder buses are available at from KL Sentral as well.
For airport taxis and limousines, tickets can be purchased at the counters in the arrival hall. Passengers are advised to purchase their tickets from the specified counters instead of using the touting taxis that hover the exits of KLIA. These touting taxis may “claim” to offer more in terms of service but they are overly priced. Other transportation services such as car rentals and bus services are also available. Do check with the information counters for more details.
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport provides excellent service. It is a world class airport in every sense of the word. The facilities are well maintained and the interior is kept immaculate. It is a grand welcome as well as a grand farewell that will leave you with a lasting impression.