Airports can avoid confusion by strictly following aviation rules

CHINESE PASSENGERS are allowed to use their passports, instead of identity cards, to book and board domestic flights, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Tuesday. The statement came in response to some reports that said, at several airports passengers are also required to present their IDs while boarding a domestic flight even if they had booked tickets using their passports. Legal Daily commented on Thursday:

The CAAC's clarification came just one day after the reports were published creating confusion among passengers. The new guidelines on civil aviation security from the country's top aviation authority, which took effect on Jan 1, require passengers to present valid IDs, including passports, to board domestic flights.

It is thus surprising that some airports, including Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Zhuhai Airport, both in Guangdong province, refused to accept a passport as valid identification for Chinese passengers earlier this month. Their misinterpretation of the aviation rules caused unnecessary delays for passengers.