Storms and air traffic control restrictions disrupt 1,464 flights at 8 major airports in China

Disruption overview

Severe storms and air traffic control flow restrictions disrupted 1,464 flights across 8 major airports in China on 17 May 2026, including Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Kunming, Zhengzhou, and Zhuhai. The breakdown included 108 cancellations and 1,356 delays, with carriers such as Hainan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Lucky Air, and China Express Airlines among the hardest hit, and disruption continued into 18 May. Because the problems were driven by weather and airspace restrictions outside the airlines’ control, compensation under EC 261 is generally unlikely for flights covered by that law, but airlines should still provide care and assistance such as rebooking, refreshments, and accommodation where needed.

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Disruption details

Severe storms and air traffic control flow restrictions disrupted 1,464 flights across 8 major airports in China late on 17 May 2026, and the knock-on effects continued into 18 May.

For passengers, this meant long waits, rolling schedule changes, and crowded rebooking lines at airports including Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Kunming Changshui International Airport, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, and Zhuhai Jinwan Airport.

The disruption included 108 cancellations and 1,356 delays. Shenzhen saw the heaviest pressure, followed by Shanghai and Guangzhou, as storm systems moved across East and South China and tighter spacing in the air added more strain to an already busy network.

Airport by airport, the disruption looked like this:

• Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX) recorded 274 delays and 18 cancellations.

• Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) recorded 242 delays and 10 cancellations.

• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) recorded 238 delays and 18 cancellations.

• Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) recorded 171 delays and 6 cancellations.

• Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) recorded 142 delays and 16 cancellations.

• Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) recorded 118 delays and 12 cancellations.

• Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) recorded 95 delays and 19 cancellations.

• Zhuhai Jinwan Airport (ZUH) recorded 76 delays and 9 cancellations.

Among the airlines, Hainan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Lucky Air, and China Express Airlines absorbed some of the biggest schedule cuts. Hainan Airlines saw up to 10 cancellations at Beijing Capital and 8 at Guangzhou Baiyun, while China Eastern Airlines lost 5 flights at Shanghai Pudong and 4 at Guangzhou Baiyun.

Lucky Air logged 2 cancellations each at Kunming and Zhengzhou, and China Express Airlines recorded 4 cancellations at Zhengzhou. Delays also spread across Air China, China Southern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Ruili Airlines, and some international services, including Etihad Airways.

The gridlock built quickly because China’s hub-and-spoke network leaves very little room for recovery once flights start slipping behind schedule. Tight turnaround times during a busy travel period meant even short holds could ripple through later departures, and once crews neared duty-hour limits, extra cancellations became harder to avoid.

At the airport, travelers faced long queues at check-in, security, and rebooking desks. Airlines were arranging hotel rooms, meal vouchers, and baggage reroutes, while some passengers switched to high-speed rail to keep their journeys moving.

Airports and airlines were hoping to restore more normal rotations within 24 hours, but rolling disruption remained possible through 18 and 19 May. If you’re due to travel through any of these hubs, it’s worth checking your airline’s app and live flight status before you leave for the airport.

If your journey involved a route covered by EC 261, compensation is generally unlikely here because the disruption was driven by severe weather and air traffic restrictions outside the airline’s control. For domestic flights within China, what you’re owed depends on local consumer protection rules.

That doesn’t mean you’re without support. Airlines should still provide care and assistance during serious disruption, which can include rebooking or a refund, food and refreshments during a long wait, and accommodation if you’re stranded overnight. If you want to understand what applies to your flight, you can use AirHelp’s free flight checker to look at your options.

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