Severe winter weather across eastern, central, and western China has triggered another round of cascading disruptions across the country’s already strained aviation network, grounding 36 flights and delaying more than 800 others on February 10, 2026. Passengers traveling with China Express, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines, and Air China have borne the brunt of the chaos, reporting long queues, overnight waits, and limited access to clear information as carriers race to reshuffle aircraft and crews. With disruption concentrated at major hubs but rippling deep into regional routes, airlines are urging travelers to monitor flight status in real time and to review rescheduling and rebooking options before heading to the airport.
Storm Systems Collide With Peak Winter Travel
The latest wave of disruptions comes as a complex mix of snow, freezing rain, low cloud, and fog stalls flight operations from coastal Shanghai to inland hubs such as Xi’an and Chengdu. Meteorologists report that a sprawling cold air mass sweeping in from the northwest has collided with moist air over eastern China, creating unstable conditions that are particularly hostile to safe takeoff and landing. That combination has forced air traffic control to impose tighter separation between aircraft, reduce movements on already congested runways, and temporarily suspend operations during the worst visibility periods.
Although winter weather disruptions are a familiar feature of China’s aviation calendar, the scale of this week’s knock-on effects has surprised some travelers. Many passengers booked their trips to align with the early stages of the Spring Festival travel rush, expecting crowded terminals but not large-scale cancellations this far ahead of the core holiday dates. Instead, they have encountered an environment where relatively localized storms can quickly trigger delays across the broader network, as crews and aircraft are trapped out of position and turnaround times lengthen beyond scheduled windows.
Conditions have also varied sharply by region, complicating planning and communications. While some western and central cities have struggled with ice and snow, eastern coastal hubs have contended with persistent low cloud and fog that periodically drops visibility below required minimums for safe landings. For dispatchers and operations control teams, that has meant constantly revising flight plans, swapping aircraft types, and in some cases preemptively canceling rotations to prevent even larger backlogs later in the day.
Major Hubs Under Pressure Across East, Central, and West
Shanghai’s twin airports, especially Shanghai Pudong International, have emerged as focal points of the current disruption. As a primary long haul gateway and a key domestic transfer hub, Pudong’s temporary ground stops and reduced arrival rates have a disproportionate impact on the rest of the system. Delays to eastbound flights from inland cities quickly turn into missed connections for international departures, forcing airlines to rebook entire planeloads of passengers onto later services or different routings.
In Beijing, both Capital International and Daxing have also reported waves of delays as aircraft arriving from weather-affected cities in central and western China miss their scheduled slots. While conditions at the capital’s airports have been somewhat more stable than at some southern and western fields, the dependence on inbound aircraft has meant that delays elsewhere translate directly into disrupted schedules in Beijing. For passengers, that often manifests as last minute gate changes, rolling departure estimates, and sudden overnight cancellations late in the evening.
Further inland, hubs such as Xi’an, Chengdu, Kunming, and Urumqi have each experienced pockets of severe weather tied to the same broad system. Snow and freezing rain in the northwest have forced de-icing operations that slow turnarounds, while thunderstorms and heavy rain in some southwestern corridors have imposed additional safety restrictions. Because these cities serve as key connectors between smaller regional airports and the eastern seaboard, any slowdown quickly reverberates through numerous secondary and tertiary routes, reinforcing the sense of a system-wide slowdown rather than a localized weather event.
Airlines Confront Operational and Customer Service Strain
China Express has seen significant disruption across its regional network, particularly on routes linking smaller inland cities with mid-sized hubs. Operating a fleet focused on regional jets serving thinner routes, the carrier has limited flexibility to reshuffle spare aircraft when successive rotations are delayed or canceled. As a result, a single airport closure or extended ground hold can wipe out multiple later flights, leaving travelers marooned in cities with relatively modest terminal facilities and limited alternative transport options.
China Eastern, one of the country’s largest carriers, has been navigating acute pressure on its Shanghai-centered network. The airline’s wide web of domestic and international services depends on tightly timed banks of arrivals and departures at Pudong and Hongqiao. When storms force these banks to unravel, the carrier faces a daunting task: protecting long haul flights where possible while reallocating capacity on domestic sectors to clear backlogs. Passengers have reported being offered reroutes through alternative hubs or being shifted onto partner flights as China Eastern tries to limit how many people are stranded overnight.
Hainan Airlines has been particularly affected on routes linking coastal cities with the southern island of Hainan and adjacent provinces. Weather-related disruptions at both origin and destination airports have created bottlenecks for tourism and business traffic headed to the island’s resorts and free trade zones. With many flights operating near full load during the winter high season, accommodating delayed passengers on subsequent services is challenging, and travelers are being encouraged to accept flexible routings and off-peak departure times where available.
For Air China, the challenge has been to maintain backbone trunk routes between Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu while also honoring commitments on a dense lattice of regional services. As the flag carrier, Air China often becomes a default choice for rebooking when smaller airlines cancel flights outright. Call centers and airport service desks have reported heavy volumes as passengers seek refunds, vouchers, or alternative itineraries, with some travelers expressing frustration at long waits and limited multilingual support in crowded terminals.
Passenger Experiences: Long Waits, Confusion, and Frayed Nerves
At major hubs, passengers have described scenes of crowded boarding areas, makeshift sleeping arrangements on terminal floors, and long lines at airline counters stretching into adjacent concourses. Many travelers began their journeys early in the morning expecting routine delays of less than an hour, only to see departure boards repeatedly updated as weather minima were not met and air traffic control tightened restrictions. For those traveling with children or elderly relatives, access to seating, food, and basic medical support has become a significant concern.
Information flow has emerged once again as a critical pain point. While airlines and airports have promoted mobile apps and real time flight status tools, not all passengers have access to reliable data connections, and not all updates appear simultaneously across screens, apps, and public announcements. In some terminals, travelers have complained of contradictory messages, with gate displays showing boarding while airline hotlines still list flights as delayed or under review. That confusion can push already frustrated passengers to queue unnecessarily at counters rather than waiting for digital notifications.
Language and communication gaps have also complicated matters for foreign passengers in transit. While larger airports provide English-language announcements and signage, detailed explanations about the cause and likely duration of specific delays often remain limited. Visitors connecting onward to secondary cities in central and western China have struggled to understand whether their itineraries can be salvaged the same day or whether overnight accommodation will be necessary, complicating hotel bookings and local transport arrangements at destination.
Despite these challenges, reports from several airports indicate that staff have been working extended shifts to manage the disruption, distributing bottled water and meal vouchers where policies allow and trying to prioritize families and vulnerable passengers. Nevertheless, the combination of crowded terminals, limited seating, and late night cancellations has strained patience on all sides, underscoring the importance of consistent, timely communication in future weather events.
Rescheduling, Rebooking, and Refund Options
All four of the most affected carriers are urging passengers to first check their flight status online or via official mobile apps before heading to the airport. In this latest disruption, many airlines have activated special weather waivers that allow travelers to change their bookings without paying standard change fees, provided the new travel dates fall within a specified window. In some cases, fare differences are being waived for short rebooking periods, although that policy can vary by route, cabin class, and ticket type.
For China Express and Hainan Airlines, the emphasis has been on accommodating passengers onto the next available flights on the same route or, where that is not feasible, using nearby alternative airports and ground transport options. Travelers holding flexible or higher fare class tickets generally have wider options, but even discount economy passengers may find more room to maneuver during officially declared weather disruptions. However, capacity limitations mean that some rebooked flights are departing days later than originally planned, particularly on thinner regional routes.
China Eastern and Air China have both encouraged customers to use self-service tools for changes where possible, in order to relieve pressure on call centers and airport service desks. Through online channels, many passengers can select new departure dates, adjust connecting flights, or request full or partial refunds if their flights are canceled. However, those who purchased tickets through third party agents or group tours may need to work through those intermediaries to finalize changes, adding another layer of complexity and potential delay.
Travelers stranded at airports are being advised to retain all receipts for meals, transportation, and emergency accommodation, even where responsibility may be unclear. While Chinese regulations distinguish between compensation obligations for airline controlled disruptions and those caused by weather, some carriers choose to offer goodwill gestures beyond their legal obligations to preserve customer loyalty. Policies can be highly route-specific, and passengers are encouraged to clarify entitlements at the time of rebooking rather than assuming standard rules apply across all airlines and itineraries.
Guidance for Travelers With Upcoming Flights in China
For travelers with flights scheduled in the coming days, especially those connecting between eastern, central, and western China, early preparation can significantly reduce stress. Airlines and airports are repeatedly emphasizing that passengers should monitor conditions not only at their departure and arrival airports, but also at intermediate hubs where connections are planned. Even if local weather appears benign, delays elsewhere in the network can cause last minute schedule shifts that put tight connections at risk.
It is particularly important for international travelers connecting to domestic flights to allow generous buffer time in their itineraries. Where possible, booking longer layovers in major hubs can provide additional margin for absorbing delays without losing onward connections. Likewise, travelers with critical commitments, such as business meetings or family events, may consider arriving a day earlier than strictly necessary during this volatile period, especially on routes that traverse weather-prone regions.
Passengers are also advised to download their airline’s official app and to make sure contact details attached to their booking are up to date. Many carriers now push time sensitive updates, boarding gate changes, and rebooking options directly via these channels, sometimes before information appears on airport displays. Keeping boarding passes and booking references easily accessible can speed up the process when speaking with airline staff, whether at check in, transfer desks, or by phone.
Finally, travel insurance with robust trip interruption coverage can provide an added layer of financial protection during periods of heightened disruption. Policies differ widely in how they treat weather-related cancellations, required minimum delay times, and eligible expenses. Reviewing the fine print in advance can help passengers understand when coverage may apply and what documentation will be needed to file a claim.
Aviation Network Resilience and Long Term Lessons
The current episode of weather-driven flight disruption is the latest reminder of how tightly interconnected China’s aviation system has become. With passenger volumes climbing and more routes linking inland cities with coastal gateways, small disturbances can magnify quickly when spare capacity is limited. Airlines have invested heavily in fleet upgrades and new routes in recent years, but ground infrastructure, air traffic management systems, and severe weather contingency planning remain under intense scrutiny whenever a major disruption unfolds.
Industry analysts note that winter and early spring are likely to remain high risk periods for schedule instability in China, particularly as climate variability creates more frequent and intense episodes of heavy rain, snow, and fog in key transport corridors. That reality is prompting airlines to examine whether additional built in slack, such as longer scheduled turn times or more strategic deployment of reserve aircraft, can help reduce the scale of future knock on effects. However, such changes must be balanced against cost pressures and the desire to maintain competitive frequencies on popular routes.
For airports, the latest disruptions underline the importance of robust de-icing capabilities, high intensity runway lighting, advanced instrument landing systems, and well rehearsed emergency communication plans. Investments in terminal comfort, from additional seating and charging points to improved wayfinding and multilingual information desks, can also soften the impact on passengers when flight operations slow or stop. Experiences at some of the busiest hubs suggest that clear and consistent messaging may be just as important as operational resilience in maintaining traveler confidence.
As the weather system gradually moves on and airlines work through the backlog of stranded passengers, attention is already turning to the remainder of the Spring Festival travel season. Aviation authorities, carriers, and airport operators will be closely watching how quickly normal operations can be restored and what additional safeguards might be needed in the weeks ahead. For now, travelers planning to fly across China are being urged to stay informed, remain flexible, and build extra time into their journeys as the country navigates another challenging spell of winter weather in its skies.