Self check-in and other new services at Pudong airport
Service staff display a translation machine for foreign passengers at the Pudong International Airport.
Pudong International Airport plans to build a self-service luggage check-in zone for international flights at the T1 terminal as part of upgraded customer services at the airport for 2020.
Despite a sharp decrease in travel amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Pudong airport aims to streamline boarding procedures and improve the terminal environment to provide a safe, convenient and comfortable experience, the airport authority said on Wednesday.
Upon completion of the new self check-in zone, passengers on both international and domestic flights will be able to drop off their luggage at self-service machines and finish check-in within one minute. The service can help prevent gathering of passengers waiting in line at counters.
Eight self-service check-in channels have already been launched at the T1 terminal of the Pudong airport. Passengers with China Eastern Airlines have been able to check in luggage without the help of airline staff.
Furthermore, an intelligent security check machine will be installed at both terminals of the Pudong airport. The new security facility can detect prohibited items on travelers more swiftly and accurately, compared with current equipment. Passengers will no longer need to take off their coats or turn around for manual checks.
A ground traffic-monitoring system involving Internet of Things, big data and virtual reality technologies will be launched at the airport. A three-dimensional traffic command platform can oversee the operations of passengers cars, taxis and buses to or from the airport to prevent congestion.
Another monitoring system will keep an eye on the real-time volume of travelers at the T1 terminal. An alert will be sent to airlines to open more check-in counters at times when too many travelers are detected waiting at the same section.
An upgraded toilet equipped with intelligent sensors at the Pudong airport
All toilets at the airport will be upgraded as well. Smart sensors will be installed in the toilets to detect temperature, illumination and air conditions. Cleaners will increase the frequency of washing and disinfection according to this data.
To better serve foreign travelers, the Pudong airport has expanded translation services which were launched for the second China International Import Expo last year.
Staff and volunteers at service stations at the airport can speak English and Mandarin, while a specialist team can speak Japanese, Korean and Spanish. The staff have been equipped with a translation machine that can offer instant translation in 62 languages.
A remote video conversation screen has also been installed at each service counter as well as on every staff member's mobile phone. Sign language specialists can offer translations for deaf-mute passengers.
Touch screens have also been installed at security check channels for passengers from both home and abroad to check the list of banned items on aircraft as well as COVID-19 prevention information.
Deposit service for travelers has also been improved. Travelers can deposit items they cannot bring onto the plane at the airport and pick them up after returning.
The airport has also improved the exhibitions at its art galleries, museums and cultural sites to promote the city's haipai (Shanghai-style) culture. The shopping and dining environment is also being upgraded with more bespoke shopping services and more popular brands.
The self check-in zone at the T1 terminal of the Pudong airport
A new exhibition about Jiangnan, or the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, at the Pudong airport museum
A traveler uses an information screen to search for her vehicle parked at the Pudong airport.
