yvrcnx

Seeing that right now it is impossible to travel anywhere without being denied into a country or even boarding, I wonder how domestic flights in China are being handled and what other airlines around the world can learn from the way they are dealing with allowing people to fly again.

There is so much talk about what would need to happen for people to fly again, like immunity passports, quick tests like Emirates is doing etc.

I am trying to understand how flying in China 2 months after the virus 'peaked' is possible again yet in Europe, North America and other parts of Asia it seems that we are months away from being able to set foot on a plane again.

I am not asking this because I don't agree with any of the measures, though some seem extreme but simply trying to understand why flying in China is possible and how are they actually managing who can check-in, board and fly again and can other airlines around the world copy and learn from what China is doing.

garykung

Don't know and don't care really.

At the beginning of the crisis, there had been reports that people take medicine in advance so that their body temperatures could be dropped enough for travel.

So whatever measures in place are pretty much meaningless when people start doing the above.

azepine00

We are not months away - it just seems that way. It took China 3 months to lift most restrictions and get back to normal-ish (with some precautions and adjustments). Very very few new cases there nowadays. We ve been in lockdown for 6 weeks in another 4-6 most domestic restrictions will be gone.
International is more complicated but countries that trust each other will open crossing first...

yvrcnx

Thank you for the response which makes sense, that's why I was wondering how China is handling it since they are promoting domestic travel again.
I agree that countries which trust each other will be the first ones to open up flying between them, it just seems when looking where things are at right now that it seems nearly impossible to imagine that there will be flights again which we can take like we used to, though I know there will be adjustments and precautions.

I guess we'll have to wait and see, especially looking at how things are in China's domestic, what works and what doesn't.

username

Isn't this attitude how the western world got into trouble to start with?

The world is so connected now, we really have to be on top of this. Interesting report on the US 60 Minutes tonight: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/artific...es-2020-04-26/

Supposed Mainland China is using this magic color code system to allow people to do various things: https://www.businessinsider.com/coro...-homes-again-1

They have always had much more monitoring of their people with facial recognition, etc. + widespread mobile pay technology. If they can't manage this, then the rest of the world is probably in trouble.

moondog

I'm not sure what you mean by "handling it". Planes continue to fly, and we can buy tickets on them through the same channels we've always used. Whether or not this is a good idea varies based upon current policies at the destination (e.g. Beijing isn't exactly a hot ticket these days).

yvrcnx

I should have clarified.
What I meant by 'handling it' is, once it is possible for example to enter the EU from North America in general and vice versa. without having to be quaranteened for 2 weeks airlines will want to be operating flights but make sure that it is 'safe'. In China's domestic market this is already happening and while airlines 'here' are stil trying to figure out how this will be possible, I was wondering what the current procedure is for people flying within China, visiting other cities and being allowed to meet family and friends again.

As it stands right now we are not supposed to travel at all unless it is essential, for example I can't just fly to Europe to visit family and come back 2 weeks later without major disruptions. Since in China this seems to have been lifted and flying is not limited anymore to essential travel, what are airlines doing there which airlines in other countries can 'copy' to make flying possible again for non-essential travel.

I guess time will tell and we'll just have to be patient for the next few months.

MSPeconomist

My impression is that mainland China has more restrictions on travel to Beijing. One example of this is the procedure of having international flights to Beijing first land elsewhere in China, at various airports, where passengers undergo medical screening (and testing?) during a long stop before some of them are permitted to proceed to Beijing and mandatory fourteen day quarantine. IIRC there are internal quarantines for those coming to Beijing from elsewhere in China.

moondog

You're over thinking this. It all boils down to the regulations in place at the destination, but I'd also check the rules at the origin in case I wanted to return.

garykung

No. If you are truly familiar with the beginning of this crisis, you will know that many have been trying to escape the Mainland in light of the spread of the virus, even the Chinese Government might have measures in place.

The reason why I said don't know and don't care because people disregard them like nothing. So whatever measures in place won't work.

The best thing about China, unfortunately, is everything can be virtually fabricated.

You have to say this? The world has been already in trouble. A big one.

baroqen

[OMNI comment redacted by mod] Their highly developed surveillance state capabilities have actually enabled travel. Every single person is required to have an app that tracks them similarly to the current Apple/Google project, except without any privacy protections, Before you can use pretty much any public service and probably even most private services, you must show your app showing that you are "green" for low risk. If you are yellow for moderate risk or red for high risk, you are supposed to be self-quarantining. I'm not sure about any additional restricions between yellow and red, but I understand you're not allowed to use almost any service if you are either one. This is not an "opt-in" type service as proposed by Google and Apple. You download the app, or you are basically restricted from being able to do anything or go anywhere. On the other hand... the app has enabled the government to deem some people "low risk", and they are now able to travel and go about their lives freely. It has also enabled pretty much everyone in the entire country to find out if they were potentially exposed, because the app is required.

And yes... almost every person has a smart phone. It's difficult to survive in China without one, as it's a requirement for banking and certain other government services. The advent of the coronavirus has only increased the need for every person to have a cell phone.

moondog

A few comments on the health code system :
-there might be an app in some cities, but I don't know a single person who has downloaded it; everyone seems to enroll using wx or alipay
-I'd estimate that only 1 in 20 businesses require it, though this could change if there's another outbreak
-I don't find it anymore invasive than the social credit score thing

Deltus

Not really true. I've been freely moving around Beijing for the past 2 weeks, and I've only ever had to show my app status at one restaurant.

889

Could you tell us just what the Wechat app does and what it says? I've read complaints that there are problems if you haven't registered with a Chinese ID, but I take it that isn't really the case?

Deltus

My only experience of it is on entry to that restaurant, I had to scan a QR code in WeChat. It launched a mini-programme, I had to enter my Chinese mobile number, got a text verification code, and then it gave me a big green icon with an up arrow. It was all in Chinese and I've no idea what I agreed to or what it told me, but that seemed to satisfy the 服务员 on the door.

Edit: and no, I don't have a Chinese ID number, and it didn't ask me for any ID information.