Recently, the reporter learned from Yunnan Aviation Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd. that during the 2026 May Day holiday (May 1 to 5), airports across Yunnan Province handled 7,782 flight movements, with passenger throughput reaching 1.0493 million trips and cargo and mail throughput totaling 6,890.88 tonnes. Specifically, Kunming Changshui International Airport handled 4,727 flight movements, 668,700 passenger trips, and 5,799.80 tons of cargo and mail. All airports in the province operated smoothly, safely and in an orderly manner, with no safety incidents reported.

Travelers wait to have their passports checked.

During the May Day holiday, airports across Yunnan Province tapped into local ethnic culture and regional features by launching a series of themed service activities. Intangible cultural heritage, ethnic customs, and natural elements were deeply integrated into aviation services, allowing travelers to immerse themselves in Yunnan's unique cultural and tourism charm right while waiting for flights or upon arrival. Among them, Kunming Changshui Airport hosted a photo check-in event under the theme "Ethnic Elegance Welcomes Distinguished Guests: Enjoy Gifts via Twin-Hall Interaction." Travelers who took photos at the designated spots received cultural and creative gifts, and the event was well received.

According to statistics from the Kunming Exit-Entry Border Inspection Station, the port of Kunming Changshui International Airport processed a total of 50,000 inbound and outbound passengers trips, up 5.49% year-on-year. Of these, 14,000 were foreign nationals, an increase of 6.95%, reflecting the sustained vitality of the cross-border tourism market. On the outbound side, mainland residents showed strong demand for travel to popular Southeast Asian destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, with a total of 13,000 outbound trips. Inbound travel was boosted by facilitation policies such as unilateral visa-free entry and the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, passengers from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore topped the list of arrivals. Visa-exempt foreign arrivals accounted for 56.75% of all foreign entries.

Travelers queue for check-in.

The head of the Kunming Border Inspection Station stated that to cope with the high passenger volumes during the holiday, the station forecast peak passenger flow trends in advance, developed targeted staffing plans, deployed sufficient officers, opened all available inspection lanes, and adjusted the ratio of lanes for Chinese and foreign travelers as needed. It also upheld its service commitment that Chinese citizens should wait no more than 30 minutes for entry or exit clearance. At the same time, the station comprehensively upgraded customs clearance facilitation measures: it promoted online pre-declaration of entry information for foreign travelers, simplified the information submission process, added multilingual consultation desks, and opened green lanes for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, weak, sick, disabled, and pregnant passengers, as well as fast-track services for tour groups and travelers in urgent need. In parallel, it deepened smart border inspection development by optimizing the configuration of self-service inspection equipment, using technology to enhance clearance efficiency, and making travel more convenient and comfortable for passengers.

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(Editors: Jennifer, Rachel)