Alert ： China’s Airports Adjust Cutoff for Intl/Dmestic Flights

Source: OT-Team(G),新京报

  Guangzhou Baiyun Airport announced that starting from 00:00 on December 6, the cutoff time for all international, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan outbound flights will be shortened to 60 minutes (or less) before departure.

  This adjustment follows a series of measures aimed at improving passenger convenience. In 2023, Baiyun Airport reduced the cutoff time for all domestic flights to 40 minutes before departure. In October 2024, the airport also adjusted the check-in cutoff time for its "China Southern Express" domestic flights to 30 minutes before departure.

  The "cutoff time" refers to the time when check-in for a flight is no longer allowed. Passengers must complete check-in, baggage drop-off, and other procedures before this designated time. After the cutoff, passengers are no longer permitted to check in. Typically, the cutoff time is jointly set by the airport and airlines based on regulations from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and may vary between airports.

  For years, the long check-in cutoff time has been a pain point for travelers and a challenge for the civil aviation industry. As of now, several airports in China have reduced their check-in times for both domestic and international flights.

• From December 1, 2024, Nanning Airport reduced the cutoff time for both domestic and international flights from 40 minutes to 35 minutes.
• From December 1, 2024, Kunming Changshui International Airport also shortened its domestic check-in time from 45 minutes to 40 minutes.
• Starting October 27, 2024, Guiyang Airport shortened the domestic check-in cutoff time from 40 minutes to 35 minutes.
• From September 1, 2024, Ningbo Airport reduced its domestic flight check-in cutoff time to 30 minutes before departure.
• Shenyang Airport had already reduced its domestic flight check-in cutoff time from 45 minutes to 40 minutes starting August 1, 2023.
• From July 1, 2024, the cutoff time for international and regional flights at Shanghai Pudong International Airport was reduced to 60 minutes before departure (excluding Ethiopian Airlines), and to 45 minutes at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

  This initiative reflects ongoing efforts by Chinese airports to improve the efficiency and convenience of air travel for passengers.