HONG KONG, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cathay Pacific Airways stopped U.S.-bound passengers from checking in baggage through in-town check-in and self-bag drop services from Thursday.
The arrangement is to comply with the U.S. government's enhanced security measures, making Cathay Pacific by far the only carrier departing from Hong Kong to do so. A total of 14 flights to the United States operated by Cathay Pacific are affected except Flight CX888 to New York via Vancouver.
According to the arrangement, the U.S.-bound travelers from Hong Kong may still check in online, but they are no longer allowed to check in their luggage at Hong Kong or Kowloon train station, the airliner said in a statement.
Passengers with check-in baggage are asked to use the dedicated counters on Aisle B at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), where they will be subject to a short security interview. Those without check-in baggage can proceed directly to the boarding gate, where they are also expected to face a short security inquiry.
Unlike the flagship carrier of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, four others that fly from Hong Kong to the United States, Singapore Airlines, the United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines, keep on providing the downtown check-in service. But they also advise the U.S.-bound travelers to arrive at the airport three hours prior to departure to complete enhanced screening measures.
In a recent survey carried out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 47 percent of more than 10,000 poll respondents were dissatisfied with the variability of security screening measures across various airports worldwide, according to the South China Morning Post.
In addition, IATA said that a higher proportion of passengers in this year's survey preferred self-bag drop as well as self-boarding services compared to that of 2016.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in June issued a regulation demanding the enhanced overall passenger screening and other security measures for all commercial flights to the country.
