Carrier to pilot 5G trials at new airport

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines will become the first carrier globally to use 5G networks after it starts pilot operations for the same at the newly opened Beijing Daxing International Airport. Such a move will help the airline to provide smarter services such as facial recognition for check-ins and boarding.

With a total planned investment of over 120 billion yuan ($16.9 billion) at Daxing airport, the largest terminal worldwide, China Eastern aims to help passengers achieve paperless travel with the integration of 5G networks and artificial intelligence.

"The development of 5G and other smart, convenient services has been a major trend for the aviation industry in recent years, and global carriers are striving to develop such services," said Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.