Innumerable cancelled flights and near-empty airports – aviation industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the novel coronavirus basically contained in China, businesses across the country have pushed the "restart" button, including domestic airlines.

Statistics from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) showed that the number of passengers carried by airlines in China crossed the one million mark on June 5 for the first time since January 28. It also indicated a recovery rate of 61.5 percent from last year's level, according to CAAC.

But the question remains: will air travel experience ever be the same? This episode of "Travel in the Post-Pandemic Era" takes you to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport for the first-hand experience of the newly-introduced contactless services. 

Disinfection gets smarter

At a time when epidemic prevention and control measures have been relaxed, disinfection is a must at airports for a safe travel environment. Here at Baiyun airport, one of the smart devices that'll probably catch your attention is the disinfection robot.

The robot not only removes garbage and dust but also sprays disinfectants on a set route. It can recognize surrounding obstacles within six meters to avoid collision.

In addition to disinfecting the public area, trolleys, a frequently-used item for travelers, are sanitized by a 24-hour disinfection equipment that kills 99.9 percent bacteria. A total of ten trolleys can be sterilized at once in about five minutes.

Buttonless elevators

For the fear of contracting the virus by touching elevator buttons, many people resort to objects like keys, toothpicks and tissues. But with buttonless elevators this fear can go off the window. The airport management has upgraded the elevators using infrared sensing technology. 

This allows passengers to operate lifts without touching any buttons. By simply placing the hand near the button one can activate the elevator in less than a second and select the desired level.  

Safer and faster security checks

Apart from facial recognition technology and QR code scanning to ensure a paperless travel, the airport has also introduced a special security check channel where passengers can experience a safer and quicker security inspection. 

Millimeter wave body scanners, a whole-body imaging device used for automatic scanning and detecting objects concealed under a person's clothing, are installed at the site. It not only greatly improves the accuracy of security inspections, but also reduces the chance of close contact between security inspectors and passengers.

"The epidemic has accelerated the technological innovation in many industries. These contactless services have optimized passengers' experience at airports. AI and infrared sensing technologies will be applied to more airports, playing an important role in business resumption amid epidemic," an official at the airport said.

Like Baiyun airport, more airports across China are looking to adopt such smart services to ensure a safer travel environment for passengers and minimize their concerns of contracting the virus.

(Cover image designed by Qu Bo)