Flight Cancellations in Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, Chongqing, Nanjing and More Brings Travel Disruption across China as China Eastern Airlines Grounds 20 Flights and Delays over 200, New Update

Air travelers across China faced significant upheaval starting on 14th and continuing on 15th December, 2025. China Eastern Airlines announced 20 flight cancellations and reported 295 delays, disrupting travel plans nationwide. This severe operational bottleneck immediately impacted major hubs. For instance, key services to and from Shanghai and Beijing encountered extensive problems. Similarly, the essential connections linking Chongqing and Nanjing experienced substantial irregularity.

The disruptions rapidly spread across the country. Consequently, flights serving dynamic cities like Guangzhou, Chengdu and Nanning also saw major setbacks. Moreover, regional centers felt the ripple effect too; travelers to Dalian, Haikou and Jingzhou faced unexpected wait times. The airline’s network, stretching from Xi’an to Baotou and further to Lanzhou and Taiyuan, struggled under the pressure. This widespread failure has prompted an urgent look into the causes behind China Eastern’s extensive travel disruption.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

The operational data reveals that both major and minor Airbus and Boeing aircraft types were impacted, demonstrating the systemic nature of the disruption within China Eastern‘s fleet scheduling. Specifically, aircraft types including the A320, A321, A319, B735, A20N and 737 were observed on the affected routes. Flights were primarily scheduled for both Sunday and Monday, indicating a disruption that spanned across the start of a new week and impacting both leisure and business travel. For instance, the CES5156 service, operated by an A321, was scheduled to connect the capital city of Beijing with Shanghai. Similarly, critical routes involving Chengdu and Haikou were also listed, with the CES6129 and CES6130 flights both being affected. The extensive number of services impacted means a large volume of passengers were left awaiting information regarding their travel plans across various provinces of China.

Flight	Aircraft	Origin	Destination	Scheduled Departure
CES2926	A320	Chongqing Jiangbei Int’l (CKG / ZUCK)	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Sun 11:50AM CST
CES2734	A321	Dalian Zhoushuizi Int’l (DLC / ZYTL)	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Sun 01:05PM CST
CES5156	A321	Beijing Capital Int’l (PEK / ZBAA)	Shanghai Hongqiao Int’l (SHA / ZSSS)	Sun 01:40PM CST
CES2807	A321	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Guangzhou Baiyun Int’l (CAN / ZGGG)	Sun 02:50PM CST
CES6366	A320	Nanning Wuxu Int’l (NNG / ZGNN)	Shanghai Pudong Int’l (PVG / ZSPD)	Sun 03:40PM CST
CES6129	A320	Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU / ZUTF)	Haikou Meilan Int’l (HAK / ZJHK)	Sun 05:15PM CST
CES2808	A321	Guangzhou Baiyun Int’l (CAN / ZGGG)	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Sun 06:15PM CST
CES2536	B735	Jingzhou Shashi Airport (SHS / ZHJZ)	Shanghai Pudong Int’l (PVG / ZSPD)	Sun 06:40PM CST
CES2767	A320	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Xi’an Xianyang Int’l (XIY / ZLXY)	Sun 06:40PM CST
CES6130	A320	Haikou Meilan Int’l (HAK / ZJHK)	Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU / ZUTF)	Sun 08:45PM CST
CES2768	A320	Xi’an Xianyang Int’l (XIY / ZLXY)	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Sun 10:05PM CST
CES6681	A320	Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX / ZBAD)	Chongqing Jiangbei Int’l (CKG / ZUCK)	Mon 07:10AM CST
CES2871	A320	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Baotou (BAV / ZBOW)	Mon 07:25AM CST
CES6682	A320	Chongqing Jiangbei Int’l (CKG / ZUCK)	Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX / ZBAD)	Mon 11:25AM CST
CES2695	A319	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Lanzhou Zhongchuan International (LHW / ZLLL)	Mon 03:45PM CST
CES2166	A320	Shanghai Hongqiao Int’l (SHA / ZSSS)	Xi’an Xianyang Int’l (XIY / ZLXY)	Mon 06:00PM CST
CES2696	A319	Lanzhou Zhongchuan International (LHW / ZLLL)	Nanjing Lukou Int’l (NKG / ZSNJ)	Mon 07:25PM CST
CES5209	737	Shanghai Pudong Int’l (PVG / ZSPD)	Taiyuan Wusu (TYN / ZBYN)	Mon 08:00PM CST
CES5431	A20N	Shanghai Hongqiao Int’l (SHA / ZSSS)	Chongqing Jiangbei Int’l (CKG / ZUCK)	Mon 08:00PM CST
CES5447	A321	Shanghai Hongqiao Int’l (SHA / ZSSS)	Chengdu Shuangliu Int’l (CTU / ZUUU)	Mon 09:20PM CST

A detailed review of the scheduled services shows that the disruptions were not limited to a single geographical area but were spread across major air corridors in China. High-traffic routes connecting the eastern and southwestern parts of the country were notably present in the data. For example, connections between Chongqing and Nanjing were affected (CES2926), as were services linking Dalian and Nanjing (CES2734). The financial and commercial hubs of Shanghai were heavily featured, with flights to and from both Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA) and Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) being compromised. Other prominent cities in the affected flight log include Guangzhou, Nanning, Jingzhou and Xi’an. Flights extending into the north and west of China, such as those involving Baotou, Lanzhou and Taiyuan, also experienced irregularities. The complexity of these interlinked routes suggests a significant bottleneck within the network of China Eastern Airlines.

Delays

The scale of flight delays, numbering 238, suggests a considerable backlog of aircraft and crews across the network. The given percentage of delays, 10%, is a clear indicator that one in ten scheduled flights experienced a setback, which is a substantial rate of operational irregularity. This figure highlights the systemic strain placed upon the airline’s infrastructure.

Affected Airports

Numerous major airports were involved in the disruption. Key hubs across China that saw affected services include:

• Shanghai (Hongqiao and Pudong International Airports)
• Beijing (Capital and Daxing International Airports)
• Nanjing Lukou International Airport
• Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
• Chengdu Tianfu International Airport

Other regional airports that were impacted, extending the geographical scope of the disruption, are those serving cities such as Dalian, Nanning, Haikou, Jingzhou, Xi’an, Baotou, Lanzhou and Taiyuan. The simultaneous impact on multiple major gateways of China suggests a far-reaching operational challenge.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The grounding of services and the substantial number of delays are expected to have a tangible, though currently unquantified, effect on local tourism and commerce in the affected regions. Cities like Chengdu, a popular destination known for its cultural heritage and proximity to natural sites and Haikou, a tropical gateway, rely heavily on reliable air transport for both domestic and international visitors. Disruptions to flights connecting Beijing and Shanghai to these regions interrupt the flow of tourists and business travelers alike. The cancellation of twenty flights, coupled with hundreds of delays, will directly impact hotel bookings, local transportation services and attraction attendance in destinations such as Nanjing, Xi’an and Guangzhou. The uncertainty caused by the poor reliability of flights to and from China’s major cities can dampen traveler confidence.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers whose flights were cancelled or delayed are advised to immediately contact China Eastern Airlines or their booking agent. Recourse options generally include being rebooked onto the next available flight to their final destination, such as Taiyuan or Lanzhou, or being provided with a full refund for the cancelled portion of their journey. Flight status should be consistently checked via official airline channels, particularly for services originating from or destined for high-traffic airports in Shanghai and Beijing. Comprehensive records of the cancelled or delayed flight, including the flight number and scheduled departure time, should be maintained, as these documents are typically required when requesting rebooking or compensation. The operational issues affecting air travel across China necessitate patience and proactive communication from all affected passengers.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.

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