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Tight security adds to waiting time

By Zhou Yan and Qian Yanfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-29 16:09

Shanghai's Pudong International Airport is well-designed and efficient, and the municipal government is spending hundreds of millions of yuan to upgrade the older Hongqiao Airport used for domestic flights. But getting to these airports has always been time consuming because of traffic congestion.

Now there is an additional chore: long queues at the security check points.

"A last-minute dash to catch a plane to Beijing or Shenzhen has become a thing of the past," 45-year-old investment banker, Hu Jianming, said.

To catch his flight on time Hu needs to get to the airport three hours early. Hu said he had missed a few flights before he finally came to terms with the situation. "Half a day is wasted just to catch a two-hour flight to Shenzhen," he said.

What has made matters worse for Hu is the newly imposed ban on matches and lighters on flights. Pointing to the entrance, Hu said: "Once I walk past that door, I won't be able to smoke until I get out of the airport in Shenzhen."

He now has to factor in an additional 15 minutes of smoking time outside the airport building in his travel schedule.

In line with government regulations, Pudong and Hongqiao airports have tightened their security measures, forbidding passengers from taking liquids, matches, lighters, and sharp objects on board aircraft. This has resulted in long queues since the new security measures took effect early this month.

A security officer at Pudong Airport said the airport advises passengers to arrive at least two-and-a-half hours early. "Before new rules, two hours were enough," he said.

Selvamaniam Kosala, a 28-year-old electronics engineer from Malaysia, returns home to Kuala Lumpur once a year with her 2-year-old daughter. She said it was quite annoying to have to remove her belt and shoes for security checks at Pudong Airport.

"The check-in process seems much longer these days at Pudong. And even with an infant, we still need to stand in the same long lines as the others. It took us almost an hour to go through security on our last trip home," Kosala said.

She compared her experience with Kuala Lumpur's airport, where the process usually takes less than 15 minutes.

The unpredictable traffic conditions add to the woes.

Shi Jun, a Shanghai taxi driver, said: "I don't like to take passengers to airports, especially to Pudong Airport. Roads are always congested, and passengers usually keep hurrying me up to drive more quickly."

The Shanghai Airport Authority said passenger throughput at Hongqiao and Pudong airports was 7.48 million and 9.51 million, respectively, from January to April, up 9.7 percent and 5.1 percent year-on-year.

Two extra security lanes have been opened at the arrival hall of Hongqiao for tour groups.