Lost in translation? Not at this Shanghai airport where Hindi-speaking machines welcome fliers

Many users expressed their delight at the unexpected encounter, praising the Shanghai airport for its effort to cater to a diverse international audience.

By: Trends Desk

New Delhi | Updated: January 19, 2024 11:18 AM IST

2 min read

X and other social media platforms were soon flooded with comments from amused users.

The Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China has introduced state-of-the-art machines that communicate with travellers in Hindi. The move has left netizens around the world astonished and amused, proving that in the realm of travel, language barriers are no match for cutting-edge technology.

User @shantanugoel shared a post saying that passengers arriving at the bustling airport are surprised when their passports are identified at the kiosks. Rather than the typical Mandarin or English prompts, the machine talks in fluent Hindi, he said.

“Landed in #China,” he posted. “These machines speak in Hindi on detecting my Indian passport :o.”

X and other social media platforms were soon flooded with comments from amused users. Many of them expressed their delight at the unexpected encounter, praising the airport for its effort to cater to a diverse international audience.

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One user said, “Thailand and Singapore are doing this since last 3/4 years.” Another added, “They spoke Dutch to me, I was also very surprised.” A third said, “That’s how you make tourists and business travelers feel welcome. This is one of the secrets of China’s success.”

A fourth said, “Was in China in 2019, they had this back then also”.

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