Malaysia Airports offering private health safety screening, says chairman

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is looking to upgrade its offerings by providing private health safety screening services for passengers to enjoy faster clearance upon arrival at the airport.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) chairman, Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said the move was expected to enhance passenger experience as they could undergo the test and wait for their results in comfortable surroundings.

“Based on what we have seen at our own airports and others around the world, additional safety measures can result in long queues and waiting times. This will have a detrimental effect on passenger experience, and we are anxious to avoid this,” he said in a statement.

He said Malaysia Airports would be engaging with partners to provide the screening services and had obtained the necessary approval from the relevant authorities for this.

Zambry said all the screening procedures would be guided by the Ministry of Health to ensure that safety would remain paramount.

On the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass introduced by the IATA, he said it would manage and verify testing or vaccine information between governments, airlines, laboratories and travellers.

“As we race to restore confidence in the safety of air travel, cooperation between countries such as a globally-recognised standard of health reporting will also have a positive impact on the recovery of the aviation industry.

“Last month, our national flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines had incorporated this digital health pass into their app. Other carriers that have done so include Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways.

“The critical feature of the IATA Travel Pass is that travellers are in control of their personal information as it stores encrypted data on their mobile devices,” he added. — Bernama