THE Shenzhen airport aims to eliminate the long lines at its check-in counters. The airport recently announced that all of its boarding gates will accept digital boarding passes in the form of QR codes generated by online platforms.

Travelers without check-in baggage can go through the security check and board their plane using just a QR-code boarding pass, but the service currently only applies to domestic flights departing from Shenzhen.

Apart from saving time at check-in, the airport is also going to launch other self-help services, including self-help baggage check-in, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily.

It was reported that the number of passengers traveling on business from the Shenzhen airport accounts for more than 60 percent of all travelers. With QR-code boarding passes, this group of passengers will save a considerable amount of time.

To obtain a QR-code boarding pass, travelers need to follow the airport’s public WeChat account, download the airlines’ app or log onto an authorized flight management website. Alternatively, one can obtain a QR-code boarding pass at the airport.

After obtaining the digital boarding pass, travelers without check-in baggage can go directly through the security check and board their plane.

“Passengers don’t need to show a physical boarding pass at the boarding gate, as we have already upgraded our systems at all boarding gates to recognize digital boarding passes,” said a staff member with the Shenzhen airport.

There are a few airlines that currently don’t support the system. Passengers flying with these airlines can get their boarding passes at the airport’s self-help machines after checking in online.

For those who have already obtained a QR-code boarding pass but need further proof to board their flight, there are places inside the airport’s boarding area designated for printing out physical boarding passes.

(Zhang Qian)