All Airlines can now offer city check-in in KL Sentral

All Airlines can now offer city check-in in KL Sentral

KUALA LUMPUR – Thursday, 12 July, 2007 : All passengers who use Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) main terminal will soon have a major incentive to take the environmentally-friendly option of the KLIA Ekspres from downtown KL Sentral to the airport, with the installation by SITA of 10 check-in desks at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT).

The 10 AirportConnect CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) check-in desks in KL CAT will be operational from 23 July in good time for the 50th anniversary celebrations of Malaysia’s independence in August.

This will extend from three to 43 the number of airlines based in KLIA main terminal which can potentially  offer their customers city-centre check-in, including baggage handling, so turning KL CAT into a true extension of KLIA offering the same check-in facilities available at KLIA which switched over to SITA’s AirportConnect CUTE platform in April 2006.

 Dr Aminuddin Adnan, ERL’s CEO, 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 Sentral 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 the airlines using the facilities.”

“Currently only Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Royal Brunei Airlines offer city check-in service at KL CAT.  We are in talks with several airlines with keen interest in the service. We are optimistic that more airlines will be offering the city check-in service soon in KL Sentral.  Passengers wishing to use the city check-in facilities are advised to check with their respective airlines on when this service will be available.

“The high speed rail link from KL CAT to KLIA is the fastest and most environmentally friendly means of reaching the airport from the city centre, so expanding our check-in capacity is a ‘win-win’ all round.”

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.

Russ Lewis, SITA’s Regional Vice President, Airport and Desktop Services for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa commented, “We welcome this partnership with ERL which will simplify travel for many of the 25 million 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.”

For further information (media enquiries only) please contact:

SITA                                                                                 ERL

Denis McClean, Director, Public Relations                      Jacqui Chang

Tel: +41-22-747-6824                                                          Tel : +603 2267 8018

Mobile: +41-79-2173357                                                     Fax :+603 2267 8918

Email: Denis.McClean@sita.aero                                           Email : jacqui@kliaekspres.com

Notes to Editors:

About SITA 

SITA is the world's leading service provider of integrated IT business solutions and communication services for the air transport industry. SITA manages complex communication solutions for its air transport, government and GDS customers over the world's most extensive communication network, complemented by consultancy in the design, deployment and integration of communication services.  Its broad range of airline and airport IT applications and services includes airport operations and integrated baggage services, common use and desktop services, flight operations and air-to-ground communications and end-to-end airline distribution and fares services.

SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is leading the race to bring in-flight mobile telephony to the market, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company solely dedicated to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management. In addition, SITA sponsors .aero, the Internet top level domain reserved exclusively for aviation.

SITA covers 220 countries and territories and the head office is in Geneva, Switzerland. SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.481 billion (€ 1.194 billion) in 2006.

Further information can be found at www.sita.aero

About Express Rail Link Snd Bhd 

Express Rail Link (ERL) has been awarded the concession on 25 August 1997 to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit and other ancillary activities related to railway services.

The KLIA Ekspres which commenced operation on 14 April 2002 is a high speed, non-stop air-rail connection between KLIA and Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT) at KL Sentral station with a journey time of 28 minutes at 15-minutes interval during peak hours and 20-minutes frequencies during off-peak hours. The KLIA Transit is a commuter service that stops at three intermediate stations with a total journey time of 35 minutes at 30-minutes frequencies. It first started operation on 1 June 2002

Further information can be found at: www.KLIAekspres.com