Electric cars take travelers to their plane

PUDONG International Airport yesterday started offering a pick-up service inside Terminal 2 for those unwilling to walk the long distance between security-check areas and the boarding gates.

The service is only available in the waiting area for domestic flights at present but will be gradually introduced to all areas inside Terminal 2 as well as the airport's traffic center zone.

Six vehicles, similar to golf carts, are now in service daily between 7am and 10pm. The electric vehicles hold a maximum of 10 riders. The service costs 10 yuan (US$1.46) per person and passengers can call the airport hotline, 6834-0553, to order a pick-up or just wave one down, airport officials said.

The 18 drivers were selected from 1,600 college graduate applicants. They can all speak basic English, airport officials said.

The elderly, the disabled, those who are pregnant and other travelers with special needs can use the service free of charge by calling another airport hotline -- 96990.

"We had intended to offer a free service but gave up the plan thinking that demand would be unbearably high, which would cause too much damage to the carpet," an airport official said yesterday.

Passengers on domestic flights can check in and complete security checks at Terminal 2's ground-level first.

Then they can take escalators down to the lower floor of the domestic flight area, where they can wait to be picked up by the electric cars and be taken to the boarding gates.

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