Chinese Airlines Cancel 12 Japan Routes Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions, Affecting Tourism to Kyoto & Osaka

Chinese Airlines Suspend Dozen Japan Routes Amid Escalating Diplomatic Row

A significant political dispute between Beijing and Tokyo is escalating, leading to substantial disruptions in air travel between China and Japan. Reports from Chinese media indicate that several domestic airlines have initiated cancellations across 12 of their routes to Japan. These affected flight paths include popular tourist hubs such as Kyoto and Osaka, with aviation analysts forecasting a further increase in suspensions in the coming week.

Widespread Cancellations Affect Key Tourist Destinations

As of Monday morning, data from the Chinese aviation platform DAST, cited by financial news outlet Yicai, confirmed the halting of flights on these routes. Domestic media outlet The Paper further elaborated, putting the total number of grounded flights at 41 across the specified 12 routes. According to independent aviation analyst Li Hanming, Chinese carriers typically operate between 30 and 40 routes to Japan, a number that fluctuates seasonally. The nation's largest state-owned airlines – Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines – are among those responsible for a considerable portion of the affected services.

Impact on Travelers and the Tourism Sector

The current wave of suspensions has resulted in approximately 15 per cent of all China-Japan flights being cancelled as of Monday. However, analyst Li Hanming suggests this figure could climb, particularly as the late December period approaches, a popular time for younger Chinese holidaymakers to travel to Japan to celebrate the New Year. "Most flights cancelled are towards Osaka, which is the conventional spot for tourism," Li noted, highlighting that many younger travelers’ trips, often funded by parents, are being scrapped due to emerging safety concerns.

The disruptions, which began in the past week, are anticipated to continue until March. Li confirmed that these cancellations apply to both legs of round-trip journeys on the impacted routes. It's important to note that the DAST data exclusively covers flights operated by domestic Chinese airlines. The escalating diplomatic tensions have already prompted hundreds of thousands of refund requests for flight bookings to Japan, underscoring the considerable impact on both travelers and the tourism industry.