Wei Jie claudiamente@hotmail.com TRAVELERS in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) departing from the Hong Kong International Airport with Lufthansa Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) can now conveniently obtain boarding passes, complete check-in procedures, and have their luggage checked at six ferry terminals and two land ports before proceeding to the Hong Kong airport. A ceremony was held at the Shekou Cruise Homeport in Taizi Bay on Nov. 29 to mark the official launch of the service. The event was attended by Frank Naeve, senior vice president of sales and distribution at Lufthansa Group, along with officials and representatives from the Hong Kong Airport Authority and the Shekou ferry terminal. Seamless travel Lufthansa Group’s upstream check-in (UCI) service offers a seamless one-stop experience at six ferry terminals: Shekou (Shenzhen) and Nansha (Guangzhou), Pazhou (Guangzhou), Humen (Dongguan), Zhongshan, the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal (Macao), Macao Port, and Zhuhai Port at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The service allows travelers to complete all necessary paperwork related to Hong Kong immigration, check in, and have their luggage checked at any of the eight UCI points in the GBA, ensuring a streamlined, hassle-free journey to the Hong Kong airport. Passengers will collect their checked baggage at the final destinations. To be eligible for the UCI service, travelers must hold valid ferry or bus tickets to the Hong Kong airport, confirmed departure flight tickets for the same day, and valid travel documents and visas for their destinations or transit airports. After completing the formalities, travelers will receive their boarding passes, have their checked baggage processed, and obtain tax-refund coupons at UCI service points. Upon arrival at the SkyPier Terminal of the Hong Kong airport, passengers will go through security checks and receive their tax refunds before taking the airport transit system to the terminal for their flights. The UCI service is expected to reduce the minimum connection time at the SkyPier to approximately 80 minutes, down from the previous two hours. Warm responses Wang Jin arrived at the Shekou port check-in counter at around 6:30 p.m. Sunday to use the UCI service for his Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, scheduled to depart from Hong Kong at 11:45 p.m. “I used the service for the first time more than one month ago,” said Wang, who frequently travels to Germany for business. “I had no idea that the service only became official three days ago, but it has consistently met my expectations.” Wang frequently flies on Lufthansa between Germany and Hong Kong, as his company is the sole representative of a German-produced firefighting equipment manufacturer in China. Although his company is based in the Futian CBD and his home is also in Futian, Wang has opted to take the ferry from Shekou to the Hong Kong airport since the UCI service became available two months ago. “I know it takes me a bit of time to get from Futian to the Shekou port, but the UCI service here offers a seamless and smoother connection to the Hong Kong airport that suits my needs,” Wang explained. He said he used to cross the border at Futian Checkpoint, which is convenient to both his office and home and easily accessible by Metro. Wang is among the many travelers who have benefited from the UCI service. Introduced on a trial basis since Sept. 30, the service has been well received by air travelers in the GBA. Su Ling, an employee at Lufthansa’s Shekou port check-in counter, said that the counter usually gets busy after 6 p.m. as both Lufthansa and SWISS flights to Europe depart from Hong Kong at around midnight. Swiss International Air Lines is a subsidiary of Lufthansa Group. Further expansion Lufthansa’s official launch of the UCI service at the Shekou port represents a further expansion of the Hong Kong airport’s UCI network, which facilitates easier connections and promotes integrated development within the GBA. Ricky Chong, assistant general manager of the Air Network Development of Hong Kong Airport Authority, welcomed Lufthansa’s addition to the network, saying at Nov. 29’s ceremony that as the integration of the GBA accelerates, transportation accessibility has become a crucial factor in regional development. The UCI service at the Shekou ferry terminal was initiated April 15, 2021 by the Hong Kong airport and Qatar Airways to offer a seamless ferry connection to SkyPier for air travelers in the GBA. The UCI network at the Shekou port also includes a number of international airlines, such as Cathay Pacific, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, United Airlines, Qantas Airways, All Nippon Airways, and Air Canada. Chong expressed his enthusiasm for the increased convenience and trust that this initiative will bring to travelers in the GBA, as well as its contribution to economic and cultural exchanges within the region. Growing with the GBA The GBA is recognized globally as a vibrant region, both economically and technologically, where a lot of investment activity and future-oriented technologies are happening, Naeve said during an exclusive interview with Shenzhen Daily in Shekou on Nov. 29. With the robust economic recovery, Lufthansa has witnessed its business in the GBA market rebound to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the senior vice president. He expressed confidence in the continued growth of the GBA area, stating, “We want to position ourselves as well as we can in this area.” Currently, Lufthansa runs a daily flight from Hong Kong to Frankfurt, while its subsidiary, Swiss International Air Lines, operates a daily service to Zurich. In total, the Lufthansa Group has 43 weekly flights in China, making it the largest European carrier operating in the Chinese market. “China has consistently been a vital market for Lufthansa,” stated Naeve. “We are fortunate that our flights are operating at high capacity, which reflects the appeal of the GBA market,” Naeve noted. He added that the airline has experienced strong demand from the GBA area, as well as healthy inbound traffic, thanks in part to the visa-free policy China introduced for several European countries following the pandemic. Enhanced service In addition to the UCI service, Lufthansa also partners with other modes of public transport to enhance the overall travel experience. “We work closely with the Deutsche Bahn railway network in Germany, as well as in Austria,” said Naeve, highlighting that such partnerships enable travelers to seamlessly access train services from airports in Frankfurt and Munich to destinations across Germany and Austria. He disclosed that Lufthansa expects to accommodate 20,000 travelers annually in the GBA area with the introduction of the UCI service. The initiative is part of the airline’s broader improvement plan, which aims to elevate the customer experience. The German flagship carrier is investing in 27,000 new onboard seats, new lounges, improved catering options, and enhanced digital services to ensure a more comfortable and enjoyable travel experience. Sustainability is also a central focus of Lufthansa’s improvement strategy. “We understand that the aviation industry has to play a strong role in reducing CO? emissions,” Naeve stated. The airline group is also upgrading its fleet, with 240 new aircraft on order over the next few years. “New airplanes contribute significantly to sustainability as they emit less carbon dioxide.” The German airline group is committed to halving its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. “We are pursuing this goal by investing in new aircraft, purchasing sustainable aviation fuels, and improving our operational efficiency,” Naeve said. | 