UpdateShui On Land to develop China’s first mall with baggage check-in for flights

China’s first mall to offer baggage check-in for flights is nearing completion at a transport hub in addition to serving Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport also includes terminals for high-speed train and subway services.

The shopping centre is being developed by Shui On Land, a Hong Kong-listed company focused on the mainland market. The project, which is due to have its soft launch in September, is part of an 8 billion yuan office-retail-hotel development, The Hub, in Hongqiao’s core business district.

“No other mall in China is allowed to offer [check-in services],” said Thomas Tam, executive director at China Xintiandi, the commercial arm of Shui On Land.

Tam said that, in order to meet the airport’s requirements, a baggage security system that was on par with that of the airport had been installed in the mall.

“We have spent lots of time and effort to meet the airport’s safety standards in order to ensure all baggage is fine during the 10-minute ride to Terminal Two ,” he said.

China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, which cover 50 per cent of domestic flights at Terminal Two, have approved the installation of eight check-in counters in the mall to serve their passengers.