‘Air traffic control’ delays or cancels at least 100 Shanghai flights
No official explanation is offered, but military operations in the area may have affected traffic around Pudong and Hongqiao airports
More than 100 flights in and out of Shanghai’s two international airports were delayed or cancelled today.
Officially, the reason given by a customer service representative for Pudong and Hongqiao airports said the flights were affected because of “air traffic control”. She refused to comment further but suggested that callers contact the civil aviation authority.
Another employee for the airports’ inquiry hotline said they were not sure of the reason, but mentioned rumours that military drills were going on, or a situation that required emergency traffic control.
Also, a notice that circulated online, supposedly from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to the airports, said the area was undergoing “important military operations” from 10am to 4pm. It also said the volume of the flights would drop by 75 per cent and the bureau had had discussions with the air force.
A CAAC spokeswoman said the agency would look into the case.
A Hong Kong Airport Authority spokesman said that 31 flights were delayed and 10 flights cancelled on Monday because of the air route flow control in Shanghai.
A spokeswoman with Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong said Pudong airport was under “air traffic control” this afternoon.
Hongqiao handles predominantly domestic commercial flights, and Pudong handles most of the international traffic.
This region is under the jurisdiction of the Nanjing Military Command.
Additional reporting by Philia Siu, Luara Zhou and Keira Lu Huang