Travel Halted in China as Passengers across Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Wenzhou and more Faces 20 Cancellations and over 100 Delays by Air China, All You Need to Know

Published on December 7, 2025

Travel chaos suddenly hit major airports across China on 6th December, 2025. Passengers faced immediate, severe disruptions. Air China reported a staggering operational breakdown. In total, 20 flights were abruptly cancelled. Furthermore, an overwhelming 139 services suffered significant delays. This operational failure affected key travel hubs. Metropolitan centers like Beijing and Chengdu experienced the brunt of the instability. The disruption also spread to regional gateways. Cities such as Nanjing and Wenzhou saw their schedules badly compromised. This extensive service interruption by Air China highlights critical operational weaknesses. Consequently, hundreds of travelers were left stranded. This detailed report explores the full scope of the disruption across the country.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

The operational data confirms that 20 scheduled services were completely cancelled. The affected flights spanned multiple regions across China, underscoring the broad impact of the disruption on the Air China network.

The services impacted by the Air China disruptions involved several critical high-volume air corridors. Domestic connectivity between major metropolitan centers was primarily affected. Key routes that experienced irregularities included:

• Beijing Capital Int’l (PEK) to Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU)
• Beijing Capital Int’l (PEK) to Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG)
• Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU) to Tianjin Binhai Int’l (TSN)
• Wenzhou Int’l (WNZ) to Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU)

The concentration of these disruptions on routes connecting the capital, Beijing, with major regional and economic hubs like Chengdu and the eastern coastal city of Nanjing means a substantial number of business and leisure travelers were directly impacted. The nature of these routes suggests that the operational instability of Air China has had a central effect on the national travel map of China.

Delays

The number of delayed services, which totaled 139, far exceeded the number of outright cancellations. This high number of delays, representing a 7% rate, indicates that while many flights were ultimately operated, their on-time performance was significantly compromised.

Affected Airports

The disruption by Air China involved air traffic at 15 different airports across China, illustrating the wide geographic reach of the operational challenges. Major and secondary hubs were equally impacted by the flight irregularities.

The dual presence of Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX) highlights the impact on the national capital region, while both Chengdu airports (TFU and CTU) were also subjected to multiple interruptions. Furthermore, the inclusion of key eastern economic centers like Nanjing and Wenzhou underscores the effect on commercial travel routes.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The recorded flight cancellations and widespread delays on services operated by Air China have an inevitable connection to the tourism sector in the affected cities within China. While specific causality is not stated in the source data, a total of 20 cancellations and 139 delays impacting major gateways such as Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing and Wenzhou means that passenger itineraries were subjected to unforeseen amendments.

For inbound and domestic tourists, significant delays can necessitate unexpected expenditure on accommodation and alternative transport, which redirects spending away from planned tourism activities. Moreover, the general inconvenience and unpredictability associated with travel disruption can negatively influence overall travel perception and confidence in visiting the affected areas of China. The smooth flow of air traffic is a prerequisite for maintaining robust local tourism and severe operational setbacks by a major carrier like Air China create a challenging environment for the hospitality and tourism sectors in the impacted cities.

What Affected Passengers Can Do

Passengers in a situation like this, are strongly advised to take proactive measures. Due to the high number of recorded cancellations and delays, significant volumes of passengers are expected to be processed for rebooking or refunds, meaning longer wait times for customer service assistance should be anticipated.

The priority for affected travelers should be direct communication with Air China or the booking agent to determine the specific status of their flight—whether it is one of the 20 cancellations or one of the 139 delayed services. Options usually provided include re-routing onto the next available flight, which may not be operated by Air China, or securing a full refund for the cancelled portion of the journey. Detailed records of all communication and any receipts for necessary, unforeseen expenses should be maintained, as these documents may be required for compensation claims in line with local passenger protection regulations in China.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.