Commuters rally behind suspended Aeroline; claim TBS unfit, inconvenient for use

WHICH should take precedence between public convenience and safety rules?

This clash of interest prominently reared its head with the announcement by the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) suspending inter-city express bus service provider Aeroline from Nov 6 to Dec 5.

The suspension would bring a halt to Aeroline picking up commuters at its 23-year-old city pick-up points at the Corus KLCC (in Jalan Ampang), Bandar Utama and Sunway Pyramid with all the aforementioned pick-up points to be re-located at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) in Bandar Tasik Selatan.

As the TBS is located 13km away from the city centre, this purported enforcement by APAD has not gone down well with commuters who rely on the bus service providing convenience of city pick-up points.

As per a New Straits Times report, the directive comes after APAD issued three show-cause letters to Aeroline between March 13 and Oct 10, for operating from unapproved terminals.

APAD has claimed that this action ius necessary to safeguard passenger safety, reduce traffic congestion in city centres and uphold regulation of public transport services.

Following APAD’s action, Aeroline has offered travellers the choice of a full refund or a valid ticket for later travel while it appeals against the suspension decision.

Initial reaction online would indicate that the news was not well-received by commuters who claim that Aeroline offered convenience and a service that was punctual and reliable.

It was pointed out that the pick-up points featured ample parking and were well-lit. There were also plenty of F&B (food & beverage) options nearby for passengers to grab a bite, thus making these spots safe and convenient.

It was also highlighted that there was a real need for better bus services to cater to Kuala Lumpur’s huge population. It was argued there should even be proper BETs (Bus Expressway Transits) dotted around the city to avoid expensive commutes to places such as TBS.

Apart from the fact that many passengers found Aeroline’s services convenient, there was plenty of feedback on the unsuitability of TBS as a major transport hub.

One disgruntled commuter grumbled that the order to suspend the services was probably made by individuals who never had to rely on public transport, especially from locations far from TBS.

Painting a less-than-impressive scenario of TBS was el (@elisahanimm) who claimed that “overall user experience is terrible”.

Not only was its location inconvenient, the terminal was also dirty with confusing signage contributing towards making it a headache for travellers. Rather alarmingly, this commenter claimed she feels unsafe at TBS due to “people sleeping at every corner”.

One city dweller further insisted that Aeroline is the service provider he would recommend to friends and relatives.

Observing from his workplace across the Corus Hotel, he vouched that Aeroline pick-ups causes no disruptions to traffic in the area. It was also stressed that using TBS would not create a good impression for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VMY 2026).

So how do the authorities balance safety issues with that of public convenience?

On the one hand, APAD is well within its rights to haul up Aerotrain for alleged flouting rules and regulations.

On the other, this issue arises because public transportation in the city is just not up to scratch. If online feedback is to be believed, TBS is quite simply not fit for purpose and that services such as those provided by Aeroline meet the needs and demands of commuters.

It can be presumed that most commuters who use bus services are from the B40 segment. Shouldn’t the authorities listen more carefully to their needs during this cost-living-crisis lest it be cited as another example of an unsympathetic government?

Over to you Mr Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook. – Dec 3, 2025

Aeroline images credit: MR.BUS YEOB DM/Facebook

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