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Fog causes chaos for air travelers
Source: Xinhua |
January 19, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THICK fog blanketing much of western China yesterday delayed dozens of flights and left more than 16,000 passengers stranded at airports ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.
At least 10,000 passengers were stranded at Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, capital of China's southwestern Sichuan Province, after it closed for more than five hours. Some 121 incoming and outgoing flights were delayed and four canceled.
Airport spokesman Lu Junming said most of yesterday's 485 flights scheduled would be delayed for at least four hours.
As one of the busiest transport and distribution centers in southwest China, the airport closed at 4:30am when the fog, the heaviest this year, developed, Lu said. "Visibility was less than 10 meters, far below the minimum 500 meters required for takeoff," he said.
"Some of the flights have taken off, but we don't expect to clear the backlog till late tonight," he said yesterday.
The fog also led to full or partial closures of expressways linking Chengdu and the cities of Mianyang, Nanchong, Dujiangyan and Ya'an.
Traffic gradually began to move at 11am, according to the provincial communications department.
Downtown Chengdu was still covered by fog at 1pm and airport authorities said more was expected today.
Fog also shut down the airport on December 16, delaying hundreds of flights.
Urumqi International Airport, the largest airport in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, also saw heavy fog which reduced the visibility to 50 meters from 7pm on Saturday to early yesterday, stranding 6,000 passengers.
More than 100 fights from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities had to land at other airports in Xinjiang or neighboring Gansu Province, while 16 flights to other cities were canceled, according to the Xinjiang Airport Group.
Three flights from central Asian countries were also forced to land at other airports, it said.
The airport reopened at about 5am when a flight from Guangzhou City landed.
The airport and airlines provided free meals to passengers who were delayed for two hours and accommodation for those delayed for more than four hours.
At least 10,000 passengers were stranded at Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, capital of China's southwestern Sichuan Province, after it closed for more than five hours. Some 121 incoming and outgoing flights were delayed and four canceled.
Airport spokesman Lu Junming said most of yesterday's 485 flights scheduled would be delayed for at least four hours.
As one of the busiest transport and distribution centers in southwest China, the airport closed at 4:30am when the fog, the heaviest this year, developed, Lu said. "Visibility was less than 10 meters, far below the minimum 500 meters required for takeoff," he said.
"Some of the flights have taken off, but we don't expect to clear the backlog till late tonight," he said yesterday.
The fog also led to full or partial closures of expressways linking Chengdu and the cities of Mianyang, Nanchong, Dujiangyan and Ya'an.
Traffic gradually began to move at 11am, according to the provincial communications department.
Downtown Chengdu was still covered by fog at 1pm and airport authorities said more was expected today.
Fog also shut down the airport on December 16, delaying hundreds of flights.
Urumqi International Airport, the largest airport in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, also saw heavy fog which reduced the visibility to 50 meters from 7pm on Saturday to early yesterday, stranding 6,000 passengers.
More than 100 fights from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities had to land at other airports in Xinjiang or neighboring Gansu Province, while 16 flights to other cities were canceled, according to the Xinjiang Airport Group.
Three flights from central Asian countries were also forced to land at other airports, it said.
The airport reopened at about 5am when a flight from Guangzhou City landed.
The airport and airlines provided free meals to passengers who were delayed for two hours and accommodation for those delayed for more than four hours.
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