Published on
April 12, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Thousands of passengers were grounded in China today as massive flight disruptions caused 1,439 delays and 164 cancellations across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi’an, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Xiamen. The most affected airlines included China Eastern Airlines (339 delays, 61 cancellations), Air China (189 delays, 50 cancellations), and China Southern Airlines (174 delays, 29 cancellations). Other carriers such as Hainan Airlines (55 delays, 13 cancellations), Shanghai Airlines (55 delays, 16 cancellations), and Shenzhen Airlines (67 delays, 7 cancellations) also reported notable disruption levels. Meanwhile, additional operators including Juneyao Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Spring Airlines, and XiamenAir experienced operational delays despite not leading in cancellations.
Airport-wise, the heaviest disruptions were recorded at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (242 delays, 21 cancellations), Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (184 delays, 13 cancellations), and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (169 delays, 17 cancellations). Other major hubs such as Beijing Capital International Airport (124 delays, 20 cancellations), Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (140 delays, 12 cancellations), and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (115 delays, 11 cancellations) also contributed significantly to the overall disruption figures, reflecting a broad impact across China’s busiest aviation corridors.
Seasonal weather and air traffic restrictions at busy Chinese hubs, combined with broader Middle East airspace disruptions, contributed to delays and cancellations.
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- Updated today: China recorded 1,439 delays and 164 cancellations across 12 major airports
- Shanghai Pudong reported the highest delays at 242 flights
- Xi’an Xianyang recorded the highest cancellations at 23 flights
- China Eastern Airlines emerged as the most impacted carrier overall
- Beijing and Shanghai (dual-airport systems) showed concentrated disruption patterns
- Shenzhen and Guangzhou faced heavy delay volumes exceeding 160 flights each
- Disruptions were largely domestic and regional, with minimal international spillover
Most Affected Airports
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Shanghai Pudong recorded the highest disruption levels today with 242 delays and 21 cancellations, making it the most impacted airport overall. Major carriers like China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines contributed heavily to these figures.
Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
Shenzhen saw 184 delays and 13 cancellations, with significant operational strain shared between Shenzhen Airlines, China Southern, and China Eastern.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Guangzhou reported 169 delays and 17 cancellations, with China Southern Airlines leading the disruption tally at this hub.
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Hongqiao handled 140 delays and 12 cancellations, reflecting continued pressure across Shanghai’s dual-airport system.
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital recorded 124 delays and 20 cancellations, with Air China accounting for a major portion of delayed flights.
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Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
Chengdu Tianfu experienced 115 delays and 11 cancellations, with multiple carriers contributing to a moderate but widespread disruption profile.
Nanjing Lukou International Airport
Nanjing reported 98 delays and 5 cancellations, with delays dominating the disruption pattern rather than cancellations.
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
Xiamen saw 96 delays and 7 cancellations, largely driven by XiamenAir and regional carriers.
Beijing Daxing International Airport
Beijing Daxing recorded 74 delays and 20 cancellations, showing a relatively higher cancellation-to-delay ratio.
Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
Wuhan handled 72 delays and 8 cancellations, with China Eastern leading delays.
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport
Xi’an recorded the highest cancellations at 23 flights, alongside 63 delays, indicating significant operational disruption.
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Chengdu Shuangliu reported 62 delays and 7 cancellations, with Sichuan Airlines and Air China most affected.
Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines recorded the highest disruption overall with 339 delays and 61 cancellations across these key hubs. Its extensive network across Shanghai, Xi’an, Shenzhen, and other hubs made it the most exposed carrier in today’s disruptions.
Air China
Air China reported 189 delays and 50 cancellations, with major impacts seen in Beijing, Chengdu, and Wuhan operations.
China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines experienced 174 delays and 29 cancellations, particularly concentrated in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines logged 55 delays and 16 cancellations, with significant activity centered around Shanghai’s two major airports.
Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines recorded 55 delays and 13 cancellations, contributing to disruption patterns across multiple secondary hubs.
Shenzhen Airlines
Shenzhen Airlines saw 67 delays and 7 cancellations, reflecting strong operational pressure at Shenzhen Bao’an Airport.
XiamenAir
XiamenAir experienced 37 delays and 2 cancellations, with most disruption concentrated at Xiamen Gaoqi.
Sichuan Airlines
Sichuan Airlines reported 64 delays and no cancellations, indicating delay-heavy operational challenges, especially in Chengdu and Xi’an.
What Can Affected Passengers Do?
- Check real-time flight status updates before heading to airports such as Shanghai Pudong or Beijing Capital
- Stay in contact with airlines for rebooking or compensation options
- Arrive early at busy hubs like Guangzhou or Shenzhen due to potential cascading delays
- Keep digital and printed copies of boarding passes and travel documents
- Monitor airline notifications for gate changes or revised departure times
- Consider flexible travel arrangements when flying through major hubs like Chengdu or Xi’an
- Use airport assistance desks for immediate support during cancellations
Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays
April 12, today’s disruption highlights the operational pressure across China’s busiest aviation network, particularly in cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, where dual-airport systems and high traffic volumes amplify delays. Major airlines including China Eastern Airlines, Air China, China Southern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines were at the center of the disruption, reflecting their dominant market share and network density.
Shanghai and Beijing saw repeated impact across both of their primary airports, while Guangzhou and Shenzhen experienced sustained delay-heavy conditions. Cities like Chengdu and Xi’an also contributed significantly, particularly in cancellation volumes. Overall, the pattern suggests widespread operational strain across key aviation corridors, with delays forming the majority of disruptions and cancellations concentrated in specific high-pressure hubs.
Source: Different airports and FlightAware
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