SEPANG: Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA 1) today began implementing a green lane concept for international passengers to speed up the process of clearing travellers and to reduce congestion, particularly in the baggage claim area.
The initiative is carried out by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS). The facility allows passengers without luggage to declare to proceed directly to the arrival hall, thereby shortening waiting times.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that in addition to the two green lanes, a red lane is also provided for passengers carrying goods that need to be declared for inspection and duty payment.
“Previously, all passengers would go through a single lane, and sometimes customs officers would require baggage to pass through scanners. We found that this caused some delays, resulting in long and congested lanes.
“After several discussions between MAHB, AKPS and customs, all parties agreed to introduce a concept that had been implemented previously, but this time improved to include three lanes,” he said after inspecting the green lane implementation at KLIA T1 today.
Loke, however, stressed that the implementation of the green lane does not compromise national security.
“I want to emphasise that this does not in any way compromise national security. Even with the green lane, AKPS officers or personnel can still stop or inspect passengers,” he said.
He explained that passenger movement has so far been smoother and more convenient, in line with Visit Malaysia 2026, which is expected to see an increase in tourist arrivals.
The green lane will be implemented as a one-month pilot project until Feb 26 to assess the system’s effectiveness before the standard operating procedures are finalised.
According to Loke, if successful, the concept will be extended to KLIA Terminal 2 and other international airports in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang and Johor Bahru.
In addition, the initiative does not involve any increase in customs personnel.
“So we hope this initiative will further improve efficiency at KLIA T1. This is one of the enhancements we will continue to pursue. Over the past few months, we have seen that KLIA, under MAHB’s supervision, has implemented many initiatives to ensure smoother operations,” he said. – BERNAMA
