A Malaysian man had no choice but to pay a RM100 fine after staying longer than the 10-minute grace period at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s drop-off zone.
In case you missed it, Malaysia Airports implemented its new Vehicle Access Management System (VAMS) at Level 5 (Departure drop-off) and Level 3 (Arrival pick-up) at KLIA Terminal 1, which took effect on 1 September 2025. Since then, drivers only have a 10-minute window to drop off and pick up passengers.
Any longer, and you’ll be fined RM100
In a viral TikTok post, @tony_esmail2019, Tony explained that he was fined after spending 34 minutes in the drop-off area, which was 24 minutes beyond the grace period. Based on his brief caption, he did not anticipate the crowds in the airport.
“In just 24 minutes, they took my RM100. Imagine if there were 1,000 drivers who went through the same fate.”
“What a way to run a business,” Tony remarked in his post.
In a conversation with WORLD OF BUZZ, Tony said that he was running a little late to the airport that night (4 January).
Tony’s initial plan was to park and quickly walk his mother into the airport, which Tony said wouldn’t have taken 10 minutes. Unfortunately, he did not foresee the crowds inside the building, which caused him to be there for over 30 minutes, when the grace period at the zone is only 10 minutes.
“It was crowded. I guess people are going for vacation. I was aware of the fine, but I didn’t want my mother to miss her flight.”
“I told myself it was okay, I would just pay the fine. My mum is old, and she doesn’t know much about the navigation at the airport.”
Commenting on the RM100 fine, Tony told WORLD OF BUZZ that the amount would’ve been the same if he had been compounded by a police officer. While he said he had no issue paying the RM100 fine, Tony was hoping for some empathy.
“I had no issues paying the fine, but those who have financial issues may not be okay with that.”
“VAMS aims to ease traffic.”
Following the circulation of Tony’s TikTok post, the management of KLIA responded in the comment section of his post to briefly explain the situation. KLIA stated that VAMS is implemented to ease traffic in the drop-off zone to ensure a smooth journey for passengers.
Additionally, KLIA also suggested a few alternatives in case the drivers require additional time.
What do you think about KLIA’s 10-minute policy? Let us know in the comments below!
Also read: KLIA Illegal Taxi Driver Charges Tourists RM250 for Ride to Hotel Near KLCC
