Inaugural eBook Library facility using Bluetooth Beacon at KLIA

Bluetooth beacon: method to distribute ebooks at KLIA

Passengers at KLIA & KLIA 2 can now download free ebooks for their travels

Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, 23^rd April 2016 – Travelling can now be a more enjoyable experience at KL International Airport (KLIA) especially for book lovers.

For those of you who fly regularly, you will now have a new lifestyle facility which grants every passenger with access to electronic books at no cost.

This smart facility operates through the use of Bluetooth beacon signals which work on the principles of geo-fencing micro-location technology. It communicates with passengers’ smart phone applications, allowing them to access a special virtual library of eBooks.

First in the world ebook beacon facility to be introduced in KLIA

These eBooks can be downloaded for free at KLIA and subsequently kept in private devices including smart phones for a period of two (2) days. Once the eBook has been downloaded, passengers are able to read the eBook even without internet facilities, meaning they will be able to read it during a flight.

This facility, which consists of 40 eBook beacons strategically placed at locations within KLIA Main Terminal and klia2, is the first of its kind in the world.

The airport is part of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) where new technology is actively pursued.

Hence, it is no surprise that as the operator of KLIA, Malaysia Airports, has joined hands with e-Sentral and Perbadanan Kota Buku, to introduce this technology.

Currently, travelers in KLIA Main Terminal and klia2 have more than 800 eBook titles from various genres in English, Malay, and Mandarin. Each person is able to borrow a maximum of 2 titles at any one time.

This inaugural eBook beacon infrastructure was first demonstrated today in conjunction with World Book Day 2016 during an event in klia2.

“This Bluetooth beacon programming simplifies the whole process for eBook borrowing, which is an innovative idea that complements traditional books. With this pioneering facility, we hope KLIA can be a model to the rest of the world,” stated Tuan Sayed Munawar Syed Mustar, Chief Executive Officer of Perbadanan Kota Buku.

From left : Raslan Shahrin (Manager of Commercial Services MAHB), Faiz Al-Shahab (CEO of eSentral), Tuan Syed Munawar (CEO of Perbadanan Kota Buku), Mohd Fauzi Ahmad (Senior Manager of MAHB)

Commenting on Malaysia Airports’ objective in this collaboration, Tuan Haji Zainol Mohd Isa, General Manager of Malaysia Airports (Sepang) said, “Malaysia Airports places high priority on improving the total airport experience for our passengers, Therefore, we are always on the lookout to implement initiatives that will transform KLIA into an innovative digitised environment which will resonate well with our mission of creating joyful experiences.”

Faiz Al-Shahab of e-Sentral with the media

Since the start of this eBook borrowing offering, more than 10,000 passengers have used this facility at KLIA Main Terminal and klia2.