Travel in post-pandemic era: Airports go contactless

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.

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.  

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