KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 ― The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has started disinfecting arriving baggage with its new automatic ultraviolet (UV) radiation system to curb Covid-19 and ensure airport safety remains at the highest level.

In a statement, airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said the latest Airports 4.0 initiative comprising UV bulbs installed in an enclosed tunnel within the baggage handling system (BHS) disinfects baggage automatically as it passes through the conveyor system.

MAHB group chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh said the company have invested heavily in UV technology because the UV short wavelength has been proven to effectively eliminate surface contaminants such as mold, bacteria, and other microbial biofilms.

"Earlier, we installed the UV Chamber which produces UV light to interrupt the transmission of infectious airborne pathogens for our washrooms,” he said.

MAHB is continuing efforts with UV tunnels to further mitigate the risk from infectious airborne microbial contaminants not only for passengers but also the ground staff handling the baggage.

"As an airport operator, it is important for us to ensure the overall passenger experience is dealt with care by considering the multiple touchpoints during the journey.

"Passengers can be assured of their safety when collecting their clean and sanitised bags at the reclaim area. We are currently undergoing a major asset upgrading exercise for the BHS and the UV disinfection tunnels are some of its new permanent features,” he further added.

MAHB said two out of four tunnels have been successfully installed while the remaining tunnels are expected to be completed next month.

With the rollout of the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme last month, MAHB is looking forward to the gradual recovery of air travel by staying committed to ensuring a safe and smooth passenger journey. ― Bernama