Published on
March 31, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Thousands of passengers were grounded in China today as widespread disruptions caused 5,413 delays and 462 cancellations across Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (977 delays, 105 cancellations) in Guangzhou, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (795 delays, 91 cancellations) in Shenzhen, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (251 delays, 37 cancellations) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (415 delays, 19 cancellations) in Shanghai, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (422 delays, 18 cancellations) in Hangzhou, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (238 delays, 16 cancellations) in Chongqing, Beijing Capital International Airport (217 delays, 17 cancellations) and Beijing Daxing International Airport (201 delays, 12 cancellations) in Beijing, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (172 delays, 16 cancellations) and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (318 delays, 10 cancellations) in Chengdu, Hefei Xinqiao Airport (76 delays, 12 cancellations) in Hefei, Taiyuan Wusu Airport (70 delays, 16 cancellations) in Taiyuan, Nanjing Lukou International Airport (223 delays, 14 cancellations) in Nanjing, Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (89 delays, 14 cancellations) in Lanzhou, Kunming Changshui International Airport (228 delays, 9 cancellations) in Kunming, Changsha Huanghua International Airport (115 delays, 11 cancellations) in Changsha, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (70 delays, 9 cancellations) in Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (200 delays, 9 cancellations) in Zhengzhou, Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (92 delays, 9 cancellations) in Qingdao, Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (90 delays, 10 cancellations) in Jinan, and Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (154 delays, 8 cancellations) in Wuhan.
The most affected airlines include China Southern Airlines (1,220 delays, 78 cancellations), China Eastern Airlines (592 delays, 70 cancellations), Air China (454 delays, 59 cancellations), Shenzhen Airlines (433 delays, 26 cancellations), and Hainan Airlines (300 delays, 50 cancellations). Other major carriers such as XiamenAir (198 delays) and Sichuan Airlines (145 delays, 12 cancellations) also contributed significantly.
Intense thunderstorms accompanied by hail triggered the massive flight disruptions at Guangzhou Baiyun and Shenzhen Bao’an, impacting travel across the Greater Bay Area.
- Updated Today: China recorded 5,413 delays and 462 cancellations across 21 airports
- Guangzhou and Shenzhen were the most disrupted hubs by volume
- China Southern Airlines led in both delays and cancellations nationwide
- China Eastern Airlines and Air China followed with heavy operational impact
- Multiple cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Zhengzhou saw widespread delays
- Delays dominated disruptions, signaling congestion across the network
Most Affected Airports
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Guangzhou recorded the highest disruption nationwide, with 977 delays and 105 cancellations, making it the epicenter of disruptions.
Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
Shenzhen followed with 795 delays and 91 cancellations, showing severe operational strain.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Shanghai Pudong handled 415 delays and 19 cancellations, reflecting heavy traffic pressure.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
Hangzhou saw 422 delays and 18 cancellations, ranking among the most delay-heavy airports.
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
Chengdu Tianfu reported 318 delays and 10 cancellations, highlighting continued congestion.
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Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Hongqiao experienced 251 delays and 37 cancellations, with a notable cancellation share.
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
Chongqing recorded 238 delays and 16 cancellations, showing moderate disruption.
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Nanjing Lukou International Airport
Nanjing saw 223 delays and 14 cancellations, driven largely by airline congestion.
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital handled 217 delays and 17 cancellations, reflecting steady disruption levels.
Beijing Daxing International Airport
Beijing Daxing reported 201 delays and 12 cancellations, contributing to capital-wide impact.
Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
Zhengzhou recorded 200 delays and 9 cancellations, showing delay-heavy disruption.
Kunming Changshui International Airport
Kunming saw 228 delays and 9 cancellations, with strong delay contribution.
Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
Wuhan experienced 154 delays and 8 cancellations, indicating moderate disruption.
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Chengdu Shuangliu reported 172 delays and 16 cancellations, complementing Tianfu’s impact.
Changsha Huanghua International Airport
Changsha saw 115 delays and 11 cancellations, with mixed disruption levels.
Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
Qingdao recorded 92 delays and 9 cancellations, showing lower-scale disruption.
Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport
Jinan experienced 90 delays and 10 cancellations, driven by regional airline operations.
Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport
Lanzhou reported 89 delays and 14 cancellations, with relatively higher cancellation ratio.
Hefei Xinqiao Airport
Hefei saw 76 delays and 12 cancellations, showing smaller-scale impact.
Taiyuan Wusu Airport
Taiyuan recorded 70 delays and 16 cancellations, notable for higher cancellation share.
Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport
Shijiazhuang reported 70 delays and 9 cancellations, with disruptions skewed toward cancellations.
Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays
China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines recorded the highest disruption overall, with 1,220 delays and 78 cancellations, leading across nearly all major hubs.
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines followed with 592 delays and 70 cancellations, reflecting its widespread operations.
Air China
Air China saw 454 delays and 59 cancellations, with strong presence in Beijing and regional airports.
Shenzhen Airlines
Shenzhen Airlines reported 433 delays and 26 cancellations, indicating recurring reliability issues.
Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines logged 300 delays and 50 cancellations, showing a balanced disruption profile.
XiamenAir
XiamenAir recorded 198 delays, contributing significantly to congestion.
Sichuan Airlines
Sichuan Airlines saw 145 delays and 12 cancellations, particularly across Chengdu.
Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines reported 87 delays and 11 cancellations, mainly within Shanghai routes.
Spring Airlines
Spring Airlines recorded 8 cancellations, reflecting limited but notable disruption.
Shandong Airlines
Shandong Airlines contributed significantly to delays, especially in Jinan and surrounding regions.
What Can Affected Passengers Do?
- Check live flight updates before heading to airports like Guangzhou or Shenzhen
- Stay connected with airlines for rebooking and compensation options
- Arrive early at busy hubs such as Shanghai or Beijing
- Keep backup travel options in case of cancellations
- Monitor airport announcements for last-minute changes
- Use airline apps for faster alerts and notifications
Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays
Flight disruptions today were heavily delay-driven, with more than 5,400 delays affecting operations nationwide. Airlines such as China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Air China accounted for a large share of delays, reflecting their extensive route networks.
Cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing were repeatedly affected, while inland hubs like Chengdu, Kunming, and Zhengzhou also saw sustained disruption. Additional congestion was observed in Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Wuhan, showing how delays spread across both primary and secondary aviation hubs.
Overall, the data highlights a nationwide operational strain, with delays far outweighing cancellations, indicating congestion and scheduling pressure rather than widespread shutdowns.
Source: Different airports and FlightAware


















