Refer China: Travelers at Shanghai Hongqiao May Get Free Luggage Replacement

It All Started with a Foreign Traveler's Broken Suitcase

Travelers at Shanghai Hongqiao May Get Free Emergency Luggage Replacement

You're rushing to catch a flight or a train—then disaster strikes: your luggage breaks apart. What now?

Good news: Travelers passing through Shanghai Hongqiao Hub no longer have to panic if their suitcase fails them. As revealed during the recent Shanghai Municipal Volunteer Day event focused on waste classification, an innovative emergency luggage replacement service is now available—free of charge.

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A Thoughtful Solution for Unexpected Travel Woes

If your suitcase breaks on the day of travel, simply present your valid same-day train or flight ticket at designated service points, and you can receive a replacement suitcase completely free. But this isn't just any luggage—it's part of a sustainable reuse program. All suitcases provided are upcycled from discarded or unused ones, cleaned and repaired as needed for functionality and safety.

A pop-up station is now open at Gate 3 of the Departure Level in Terminal 2 of Hongqiao Airport. The regular service station is located approximately 100 meters outside the west exit of the Hongqiao Railway Station.

The initiative began with a simple real-life story: a foreign traveler's suitcase broke unexpectedly mid-trip. This prompted volunteers from Minhang District's Xinhong Subdistrict to launch this community-led recycling and emergency response program.

Since the beginning of this year alone, 50–60 travelers have already benefited from this thoughtful service.

Cleaner, Smarter Waste Disposal at Hongqiao Airport

You might have noticed fewer trash bins at Hongqiao Airport recently—that's no accident. Since implementing more refined waste management strategies over two years ago, the number of waste bins has been reduced by nearly half.

At the same time, waste sorting at the source has become more precise. For example, instead of tossing all recyclables into one bin, passengers now have options to sort by plastic, metal, and paper.

The results? According to Li Xubei, Environmental Manager at Shanghai Hong Kong Airport Management Co., dry waste from terminals has dropped by 50%, while the volume of recyclables and wet waste has remained steady—proof that the overall waste output is under better control.

Despite fewer bins, passenger compliance with waste sorting has actually improved. Surveys revealed that both local and international travelers appreciate more detailed sorting options—especially those from countries where separating plastics from glass is the norm.

The strategy behind these changes is simple but powerful: tailor waste disposal infrastructure to real traveler behavior rather than assumptions. This data-driven, user-centric approach helped Hongqiao Airport once again earn the SKYTRAX title of "China's Cleanest Airport" last year.

Source: 上观新闻