Shanghai Hongqiao airport cuts closing time for domestic flights

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has announced the shortening of cut-off times for all domestic flights to under 30 minutes starting on Monday.

The cut-off time refers to the latest point at which passengers can complete check-in and baggage procedures for a flight. Last October, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport reduced the cut-off time for domestic flights to less than 30 minutes for passengers without checked luggage.

Passengers without checked luggage on domestic flights operated by China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and China United Airlines at the Hongqiao airport can now complete check-in as little as 15 minutes before departure.

The series of reductions in the cut-off time is expected to give passengers greater flexibility when completing check-in procedures. The cut-off time gives airports and airlines sufficient time to complete pre-flight procedures, helping ensure flight safety and on-time departures.

The shortening of cut-off time is one of a number of recent initiatives by Hongqiao airport. From Friday, passengers departing the airport for destinations outside the Chinese mainland have been able to complete departure procedures using facial recognition, making it the first airport on the Chinese mainland to offer the service.

According to the Shanghai Airport (Group) Co Ltd, eligible passengers traveling with China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines as well as Air Macau will be among the first passengers to experience paperless, seamless air travel, with boarding time cut significantly.