Machines are taking over some services at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, one of the nation's busiest airports, such as the ones that allow passengers to scan their documents themselves.
But Wu Na, a security inspector at the airport, has found a way to preserve the human touch when dealing with travelers. For one, she wishes them happy birthday when appropriate after checking their birth date.
"People feel delighted when they hear that, especially when they are far from home," said Wu, 29, who has been on the job for 11 years.
The Shanghai native also has found other ways to provide better service, such as giving away 100-milliliter empty bottles to travelers who had to surrender their larger bottles of liquid due to security rules and folding passengers' boarding passes after stamping them to keep the ink from staining their fingers.
In April, a security station was named after her to set an example for the 2,200 security inspectors at the airport.
"Our job may seem routine, but the public entrusts us with the heavy burden of guaranteeing their personal safety. So, first, we must have excellent skills," Wu said.
Articles forbidden on flights may show up as different colors and shapes in the X-ray machine if placed at different angles. To remember such fine differences, she practiced constantly to earn her senior professional certificate.
