Baggage trolleys in KLIA were made to be used on escalators, but they aren’t allowed now. Here’s why

A tweet by user Hadi Azmi went viral after he pointed out that the trolleys in KLIA were actually made to be used on escalators. However, the manufacturer representative pointed out that the trolleys are no longer allowed to do so.

Hadi Azmi tweeted that he wonders why KLIA “doesn’t publicise the fact that their trolleys are designed to go up the escalator”. He also remarked that he remembers it being a big deal when the airport first opened.

“That’s the point of the front beam, and that fabric thing holding it up, so that bags don’t fall down when you go down escalator. The black rubber feet is there to grip the steps,” continued Hadi Azmi.

In the Twitter replies beneath the tweets, a helpful user added a YouTube video (above) that was posted in 2016 showing how the trolleys are able to grip the escalator steps with no issues. The video also shows a few ways that the trolleys could be “mishandled”, but they could still be safely docked on the steps.

“Trolley remained firmly on the escalator despite attempts of toppling it… this is possible due to three contact points: wheels, rubber teeth, rear stopper,” wrote the manufacturer representative, who posted the video.

According to the baggage trolley’s supplier manual, the two small safety rollers at the front helps “ensure a comfortable recovery from the escalator to the floor, even when the cart is in a slight diagonal position”. The rubber supports at the front help “increase the stability on varying heights of escalator steps”, the jagged rubber profile gives a “secure hold between the cart and escalator, and the front guards help prevent baggage from slipping off the cart.

The features are made purposely for escalator use. However, Twitter users have said that some people in the airport—including police officers—would tell you to not use the trolleys on the escalators. The manufacturer representative, who posted the video three years ago, even commented that it has been “disallowed” because of maintenance issues.

“There are several factors, but the main one is the overall condition of the trolleys that have been in use since 1997. Due to its age, we have reservations for the stability and safety of the trolley on the escalator. Please do not try to replicate the attempts of misuse seen in this video,” said the representative.

It might not be as convenient and can take longer, but it beats using the trolleys on the escalators now and risking your baggage falling out due to the poor maintenance of the facilities.

Malaysia Airports also replied to Hadi Azmi’s tweet, confirming that the trolleys are not allowed on escalators as they “may cause unfortunate incidents”. In the meantime, if you need to use a trolley in KLIA, the elevators are the only option if you want to move to a different floor.

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