Passengers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport can now shorten their time for immigration inspection, security checks and boarding of overseas flights by using a digital boarding pass, reports Shine.
To begin the process, travelers will receive a digital boarding pass from their airline once they complete online check-in. Compared to the traditional printed boarding pass, the digital pass will negate queuing at the counter, thanks to a personalized QR code. Passengers can finish the process by scanning the QR code at the self-service machines.
Image via The Paper
Pudong International Airport is the first international terminal in China to implement this service. Now boarding time is expected to take only 10 minutes, which grants passengers more time to shop or dine at the airport. Of course, travelers with check-in luggage will still need to deposit this at the counter, but the process can be completed with the QR code.
This digital boarding pass service was launched on October 30. “The whole process is much smoother than before,” said Zhang Lian, a consultant based in Singapore, who became the first passenger to experience the convenience brought by the new technology.
Image via CAAC News
According to statistics, 60 percent of airports in China support paperless boarding for domestic flights, reports CAAC News. The service for international flights, however, is still in its infancy due to Immigration and Custom requiring a system upgrade to accept QR codes.
Currently, the service is only available for Cathay Pacific Airways flights. "It will expand to other airlines in the foreseeable future," Hu Zhihong, general manager with the Shanghai Airport Authority told Shine. "For instance, China Eastern Airline has tackled the technology problem and will soon follow suit."
[Cover image via Wikipedia]
