Kuala lumpur: After a 23-year journey together, the partnership between Aeroline and Corus Hotel KLCC has come to an end. The hotel, about a 10-minute walk from the Petronas Twin Towers, will cease to operate today. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malayan United Industries Bhd has sold the hotel and the 1.46 acres it sits on to Mah Sing group for RM260 million, marking the conclusion of a 23-year exclusive agreement between the hotel and the coach company. "Today's event is about a relationship that is unique and seldom seen elsewhere. It is a synergistic relationship between Aeroline and the hotel owner, the MUI Group," Zulco Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Law Cheok Gheen told Bernama yesterday at the 'Journey to Family: A Chapter Written Together' event at Corus Hotel. Law, who manages and operates a fleet of 22 Aeroline coaches, mentioned that the government has given Zulco a moratorium until February 18, 2026, but the hotel is shutting down. He expressed the hope for an extension of the moratorium p eriod to enable a smooth transition with the closure of the hotel. Aeroline plans to use the CERES jewellery shoplet as a temporary drop-off/pick-up point. Law recounted how Zulco operated from Pudu Raya and was just another bus operator back in the 1990s, with its luxury coach services from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore taking off at Corus Hotel KLCC in Jalan Ampang. The business needed a pick-up/drop-off point that would benefit both the coach company and its passengers, most of whom were tourists needing accommodation. "The Aeroline-Corus relationship helped to sell 7,000 room nights annually over the years on the back of 4.7 million passengers who used this Corus KLCC bus hub, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic years," Law noted, highlighting the challenges faced during the pandemic but also the unwavering support from the Corus hotel management. MUI Group senior vice president Pel Loh shared that out of the 4.7 million passengers who used the hotel's mini bus hub, an average of 20 percent stayed at the hotel . Loh praised the partnership for its convenience to passengers and hotel guests, calling it a winning formula for Zulco, Corus, and their guests. Loh recalled initial reservations about the partnership but expressed gratitude for the chance given to Aeroline. He noted the unique branding of Aeroline, with its concept of "coach captains," which has since been emulated by other services, and the regular delivery of guests to the hotel's doorstep. With the hotel closure today, a new chapter begins for Aeroline and the ex-Corus Hotel staff.