Air traffic at Shanghai's two airports is improving this morning while all other airports around the country that were closed due to the worst snowstorms in 50 years reopened.
Most flights at Hongqiao Airport are operating normally except incoming flights from some southern cities such as Guangzhou and Shantou.
Delays at Pudong Airport are more common compared to Hongqiao this morning.
Airports in Wuhan, Nanchang, Nanjing, Guiyang, Hefei, Zhangjiajie and Changde reopened yesterday morning. Changsha Airport in Hunan Province, one of the worst-hit areas during the blizzard, reopened yesterday afternoon, Guangzhou-based New Express reported today.
Airports now need to handle a backlog of hundreds of thousands of passengers that have been stranded over the past several days, meaning more delays. Many people may not be able to fly home for the Spring Festival next Thursday, the report said.
In Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province, 125 flights were still delayed as of last night and 34 flights were canceled. More than 14,000 passengers were stuck at the airport, the report said.
It cited an unnamed official with Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines Co as saying that it is impossible to return all flights back to normal in a short period.
The carrier reminded passengers to call its hotline 95539 to check their flights, the report said.
(Shanghai Daily January 31, 2008)
