Security Check

Before boarding, passengers and their baggage must go through a security check. Special passengers such as unaccompanied children, disabled and sick passengers, pregnant women, the blind, the deaf, or criminals cannot board unless they have met certain requirements, obtained approval from China Southern Airlines, and arrangements have been made for them in advance. Passengers with infectious diseases, mental illnesses, or severe diseases that may endanger themselves or the lives of other passengers will not be allowed to board. According to the relevant laws of the People’s Republic of China, China Southern Airlines reserves the right to reject passengers who cannot board and their tickets will be refunded as voluntary refunds. The following points specific the rules for carry-on baggage:

Lithium-ion batteries and liquids

Baggage Transport Restrictions

1. Is a security check compulsory? Is a security check necessary for my baggage and other free carry-on items?
Before boarding, passengers, their baggage, and any free carry-on items must undergo a security check.

2. Can I go straight to the security check area and on to my boarding gate if I have a mobile boarding pass?
Yes, if you only have carry-on baggage you can proceed directly to the security checkpoint. However, if you have baggage that needs to be checked, you should go to check in your baggage first.

3. Which documents are valid forms of ID for boarding? What should I do if I lose my ID card?
In order to ensure flight safety, the State requires passengers to provide such documents certifying their identity as prescribed by competent government authorities when purchasing air tickets and going through check-in procedures.

  1. (1) According to the relevant regulations of the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, valid ID documents for travelling include: Resident ID cards, temporary resident ID cards, passports, certificates of military officer, certificates of PLA civilian cadre, certificates of compulsory serviceman, certificates of PLA sergeant, certificates of PLA civil service, certificates of PLA employee, certificates of PAP officer, certificates of PAP soldier, seafarer's passports for residents in Chinese mainland; Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, and residence permits for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents; passports, certificates of diplomatic staff in China issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and permanent residence (identity) certificates for foreigners; other valid ID documents for travelling as stipulated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. For residents in Chinese mainland under the age of 16, valid ID documents for travelling also include birth certificates, household registers, student ID cards or identity certificates issued by the public security organ at the place where residence is registered.
  2. (2) Disabled revolutionary soldiers shall purchase tickets and go through check-in procedures with the Certificate for Disabled Revolutionary Servicemen, and police officers disabled due to duty with the Pension Certificate for Disabled People’s Policemen.
  3. (3) For those unable to show identity documents for any reason, they may use the following documents or certificates for ticket purchase and check-in:
    1. a. Representatives of the National People’s Congress and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, may use the representative certificate of the National People’s Congress and the member certificate of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
    2. b. Students of the academies of the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police, may use the student card.
    3. c. Representatives attending the National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the National People’s Congress, workers’ congress, youth congress, women’s congress and model workers’ congress at national, provincial, autonomous region, and municipal levels, may use the temporary identity certificate issued by competent party, government or military department above county or regiment level (inclusive).
    4. d. Chinese mainland passengers who have lost their identity cards or had them stolen outside their place of domicile shall produce their interim identity certificates issued by the public security organ in the jurisdiction of which the loss was reported or the theft took place, or their online CAAC interim boarding certificates obtained through the CAAC approved WeChat/Alipay applet.
    5. e. Infants under the age of two and children at the age of 2 – 12 may use residence booklet, temporary residence permit, birth certificate, one-child certificate or student card with photo for ticket purchase and check-in.


Special Note: Passengers shall use the same valid travel document when taking domestic flights, purchasing tickets, going through check-in and security check procedures.