China Southern Airlines is relocating to the newly opened Terminal 2 (T2) building at its home hub of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on May 19, with affiliate carriers Chongqing Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Hebei Airlines also making the transition on the same day.
The carrier is making a number of enhancements to its operations at the new facility, notably supporting self-service check-in kiosks located at each of the aisles, though passengers can also head to specific aisles for dedicated services.
Regular check-in counters, for instance, will be located at aisles E, F and G for domestic flights and aisle P for international flights. However, first, business and Sky Pearl economy class passengers, and China Southern Sky Pearl Gold/Silver and SkyPriority members can check-in at dedicated counters at aisles C and D for domestic flights and aisle Q for international services.
Passengers that use the self-service check-in counters, meanwhile, can also use the baggage drop facilities at aisles H and L if they have check-in luggage.
Transiting at Terminal 2 has also been made easier. Boarding gates for domestic flights are located on the same floor, while passengers transferring onto international services can head to customs and border protection. Neither require going through additional security checks.
International passengers transferring on to domestic routes, meanwhile, will continue to benefit from the airline’s rapid transfer service, which it first launched in March last year. This includes through check-in for passengers and luggage, though travellers should wait for the background baggage check-in result at the waiting lobby before heading through security for their domestic connection.
China Southern currently has 53 international routes into and out of Guangzhou airport.
A number of airlines are shifting over to the new T2 in Guangzhou, which the airport authorities have said is the largest airport terminal building on the Chinese mainland at 880,700 sqm.
Chinese carrier Xiamen Airlines along with Saudia Airlines, Kenya Airways and Garuda Indonesia have already made the transition to T2, being the first carriers to do so on April 26 when the airport opened.
Alongside the four Chinese carriers relocating on May 19, 12 other carriers are also set to shift to the new terminal on the same day, among them China Airlines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Japan Airlines and Air France.
Last month, independent lounge network Plaza Premium Group begun taking over management of China Southern’s lounges at Guangzhou airport.
The group also aims to open a new Aerotel transit hotel at the new Guangzhou airport terminal some time this year.
