Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports see a surge in passenger traffic during the Spring Festival travel rush this year. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_01c0f79320c5]

As the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush - also known as Chunyun - comes to an end on Feb 15, Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports in the city in East China have seen a surge in passenger traffic compared with the previous year.

From Jan 7 to Feb 15, the two airports served 8.14 million passengers, a 39 percent increase on the previous year, with Pudong Airport handling 4.28 million passengers and Hongqiao Airport handling 3.85 million people.

The figure marked a return to 60 percent of passenger traffic levels compared with the same period in 2019.

The two airports also handled a total of 66,700 flights, an increase of 5.6 percent compared with last year, representing a recovery to almost 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

To boost the festive atmosphere, both airports in partnership with businesses offered a raft of incentives, including promotions and giveaways. Furthermore, top brands - like Loro Piana, Weekend MaxMara, Jimmy Choo and some local time-honored brands - opened new stores in Hongqiao Airport, providing passengers with even more shopping options.

In response to the pandemic, the two airports have fully implemented self-services covering check-ins, luggage handling, security checks and registrations for domestic departures.

As China enters a new phase of its pandemic controls, Shanghai's international and regional passenger flights have resumed gradually. On Feb 6, outbound group tours resumed after a suspension of more than three years.

Currently, Pudong Airport handles an average of 110 international and regional flights per day - more than double the level last year - reaching 43 international destinations in 31 countries. This year's Spring Festival holiday saw Thailand, Singapore and other countries become the most popular international destinations.

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Shanghai International Airport Co. Ltd. published this content on 20 February 2023 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 20 February 2023 05:59:00 UTC.