Expect Long Lines at Shanghai Airports Thanks to Higher Security

By Diana Park

Brace yourselves: the security lines at Shanghai's airports are now going to take even longer to get through.

Many of us have been thanking the G20 summit that will take place in Hangzhou for giving us clear blue skies for the past few weeks, but it looks like the summit has also led to increased airport security. Yesterday, new security measures were added to both Hongqiao and Pudong airports to better guard against terrorism.

Now passengers at Shanghai airports will face security checks from each terminal entrance where luggage will go through an X-ray machine, as well as ‘explosive-proof’ inspection. Passengers will also receive a full body check prior to boarding their flight.
In an interview with the Shanghai Daily, Xia Gongwei, a security check manager at Pudong airport, revealed that the “additional security check mainly targets banned knives, guns as well as flammable and explosive materials.”

The additional inspection is supposed to take about five minutes, but due to some gates turning into one-way exits and additional security checkpoints, longer lines have been forming.  (Although hopefully they'll never get as bad as this again).

Basically, you need to get to the airport 30 minutes earlier than usual.

The security measures are based on the new Anti-Terrorism Law the Chinese Community Party introduced last year. In 2013, a man let off a homemade explosive at Beijing International Airport to protest personal grievances. And it was only a few months ago that a similar incident took place at Pudong Airport.

[Images via Weibo]

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