Harbin airport launches service for unaccompanied children

Harbin Taiping International Airport recently launched a special service to assist unaccompanied minors traveling to and from the airport.

The service is targeted at children aged between 5 and 12 years old, and is expected to particularly benefit the children of migrant workers from big cities. As with the coming of winter holidays and the Chinese Spring Festival, many children will go back to hometowns by themselves to spend holidays with grandparents while their parents continue to work.

To prioritize the safety of children, Harbin airport has opened a special green channel for unaccompanied minors. Staff members will provide one-to-one service for children who are arriving in or departing from Harbin, with the children being fast tracked through immigration, customs and security.

Parents or guardians of children must provide their ID card information, children’s identity certificates, and contact information of the person picking the child up before applying for the service.

Meanwhile, parents can track their child’s journey through an airport by scanning the QR code provided by flight attendants.

One flight can take at most five children unaccompanied minors, according to information from the airlines that operate in Harbin airport.

At present, with the approach of Chinese Spring Festival, Harbin airport is handling around 60 children per day.

A staff member at Harbin airport accompanies a child who will depart from Harbin by herself on Feb 8.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

A staff member at Harbin airport helps a boy who will depart from Harbin by himself fill in a form on Feb 8.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

Staff members of Harbin Taiping International Airport and unaccompanied minors pose for a group photo on Feb 8.[Photo/Chinanews.com]