ERL apologises for error in statement

ERL offers second lowest dedicated air-rail link fare per km in the world, not lowest air-rail transfer fare in the world

KUALA LUMPUR: Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL) has apologised for an error in its statement on Tuesday, which claimed it offered the lowest airport rail transfer fare in the world.

“We wish to state that there is a significant difference between KLIA Ekspres and those quoted in social media,” said ERL senior communications executive Puteri Elysya Hamzah.

Puteri was responding to claims circulating online, which labeled ERL liars.

The claims came to light through an image which highlights a quote from ERL’s statement on Tuesday regarding the fare revision: “Today, the KLIA Express still offers the lowest airport rail transfer fare in the world.”

This was accompanied by a list of other airport rail transfer fares from several destinations around the world such as Amsterdam Central to Schipol Airport (RM 22.90 or 5.10 Euros)

Puteri said while KLIA Ekspres is a dedicated air-rail link connecting the airport to the city, other rail services to the airport as quoted on social media are an extension of their metro or city rail network.

“In comparison with other dedicated air-rail link services, KLIA Ekspres has the second lowest fare per km in the world,

We apologise for the miscalculation made earlier.”

The claims come after ERL announced a RM 20 revision in fares for a one-way ticket, its first fare revision since 2002.

ERL has said the company would seek options to lower the new fares by working with their corporate partners to provide discounts depending on the various modes of payment being used.

Consumer associations have since slammed the increase in fares with Federation of Malaysian Consumer Association’s (Fomca) secretary-general Paul Selvaraj describing it as “too much.”

Selvaraj said the exorbitant new fare would further burden the public and discourage them from using the ERL altogether.

Public Transport Users Association (4PAM) president Ajit Johl meanwhile urged ERL to review the price hike as a 55 per cent jump simply did not make sense.

“We would like to know the basis for such an increase and urge users to show their displeasure by not using the ERL.”