China Travel Disruption: Over 60 Flights Canceled, Major Airlines Hit

(CHINA) Over 60 flights cancelled across China on Thursday forced thousands of travelers, including foreign students, migrant workers, and business visitors, to scrap or change their plans, as bad weather, air traffic control limits, and technical problems hit some of the country’s busiest routes, including links to Xi’an, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Chengdu.

The latest wave of disruption came after a difficult day on November 19, when airlines and airports across the country reported nearly 60 cancellations and more than 550 delays. By November 20, the situation had grown worse, with over 60 flights cancelled nationwide and major carriers struggling to keep schedules on track. The impact was most visible at large hubs, where long lines formed at airline counters as passengers tried to rebook flights, switch routes, or secure hotel vouchers.

Carriers and scale of disruption

Among the hardest-hit carriers were:

• Air China — about 21 cancellations and 99 delays, particularly on routes linked to Beijing and Chengdu.
• China Southern Airlines — recent reports point to at least 45, and possibly up to 70, cancelled flights during this spell.
• Shenzhen Airlines — 1 cancellation but around 90 delays.
• China Eastern and Xiamen Airlines — also reported numerous delays and cancellations.

Together, these problems created a chain reaction across the domestic network, complicating travel plans far beyond the cities where problems started.

Key routes and passenger impacts

One particularly affected cluster involved flights in and out of Xi’an, an inland hub used by:

• Students returning to campuses
• Overseas workers heading to consular interviews
• Tourists connecting to other Asian or long‑haul destinations

When flights into Xi’an were cancelled or delayed, many passengers missed onward connections — including flights to the United States (🇺🇸) and Canada (🇨🇦) — affecting visa appointments, work start dates, and university reporting deadlines.

Airports reporting heavy disruption included Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xiamen, Shenzhen, and Kunming.

Causes of the disruption

Multiple factors combined to reduce capacity and create delays:

• Thick fog in parts of the Yangtze River Delta, reducing visibility and slowing arrivals/departures.
• Flow restrictions and unstable radar at central control centers, meaning fewer aircraft could be handled safely at once.
• Technical glitches in airline systems, hampering aircraft/crew reassignment and real-time passenger communications.

These issues, when occurring simultaneously across hubs with packed schedules and tight turnarounds, quickly cascade through the network.

Passenger consequences and immigration risks

Even short delays had outsized consequences for people on tight immigration timelines:

• Travelers close to the end of an entry stamp or visa worried about crossing borders in time.
• Workers needing to exit and re-enter China on fixed dates feared missing their allowed window.
• Students with strict registration deadlines risked late arrival and missed intakes.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, sudden travel shocks can transform routine trips into races to avoid overstays, missed biometric appointments, or cancelled consular interviews.

Important takeaway: When travel disruptions occur, aviation delays can directly affect consular calendars, work start dates, and school intakes — with real consequences for immigration status and legal entry.

What passengers experienced at airports

At ticket counters and airline help desks, passengers were told to check flight status frequently and remain flexible about routes. Common responses and behaviors included:

• Trying to reroute through less affected airports such as Guangzhou or Macau, even if that meant longer travel times and extra connections.
• Using airline mobile apps and websites for rebooking and refunds — though some systems struggled under heavy demand.
• Waiting for hours in line to confirm whether flights would still depart.

Airline staff urged passengers to keep contact details updated and to monitor official channels for real‑time information.

Effects on local appointments and documentation

Domestic travelers heading to Xi’an, Hangzhou, Beijing, or Chengdu for:

• Work permits
• Residence registration
• Exit‑entry bureau visits

often had to cancel or reschedule appointments, potentially adding days or weeks to already slow administrative processes.

Foreign residents due to renew permits or collect new visas feared that missing a single appointment could ripple through their status in China.

Official guidance and where to check rules

Chinese authorities reminded passengers that official updates about border control rules and visa validity are available from the China National Immigration Administration. The English portal is at en.nia.gov.cn.

• Flight changes are handled by airlines and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
• For possible overstays or re‑entry questions, travelers are advised to check rules directly with immigration officials or trusted consular channels before making quick decisions at the airport.

Practical tips for affected travelers

Travel specialists recommend the following actions:

1. Regularly check flight status via airline websites, apps, or airport displays.
2. Keep contact details updated with airlines to receive notifications.
3. Allow extra time for connections, especially if you have same‑day international tickets or immigration appointments.
4. Carry proof of consular or immigration appointments (appointment emails or letters) to present to border officers if needed.
5. Consider flexible routing (e.g., via less affected airports) and be prepared for longer travel times.

Broader context and industry pressures

Experts say the disruption highlights systemic pressures in China’s aviation sector as it adjusts post‑pandemic:

• Passenger numbers have rebounded, and airlines are still aligning capacity with rising demand.
• Packed schedules and tight turnarounds leave little buffer to absorb sudden delays.
• When weather, radar issues, and system faults coincide, a single cancellation at a major hub can rapidly affect passengers bound for inland cities like Xi’an or Chengdu.

Although the immediate causes were a mix of weather, air traffic control limits, and airline system problems, the broader issue is how travel risk disproportionately affects people whose right to live, work, or study abroad depends on being in the right place at a precise time.

Final note

As airlines work to clear the backlog from over 60 flights cancelled and hundreds delayed, many passengers are most concerned about the immigration and administrative consequences — not just lost vacation days.

For now, staying informed, flexible, and prepared with documentation remains the best defense against the knock‑on effects of these disruptions.