Chinese air travel faces about 74% cancellations after plane crash

About 74% of the 11,800 flights scheduled in the country on Tuesday have been cancelled, including the majority due between Beijing and Shanghai, typically one of the world’s busiest domestic routes.  

As investigators are trying to establish why a Boeing Co. 737-800 NG plane carrying 132 people suddenly fell from the sky in China’s worst aviation accident in more than a decade, about 74% of the 11,800 flights scheduled in the country on Tuesday have been cancelled, including the majority due between Beijing and Shanghai, typically one of the world’s busiest domestic routes, according to VariFlight.

Chinese air travel had already been hit by Covid-related restrictions, which led to a high level of cancellations, but Tuesday’s rate was still the highest this year and double the number at the start of the month, data from the Chinese aviation data company show, Bloomberg reported.

The nosedive by the China Eastern Airlines Corp. jet from 29,000 feet (8,840 meters) is baffling air-crash specialists, and Boeing has offered to help China’s investigation.

Boeing said it has offered “the full support of our technical experts” to China’s probe into the crash.

“We will be doing everything we can to support our customer and the accident investigation,” Boeing Chief Executive Officer David Calhoun said in a message to staff. “We are deeply saddened by the news of the accident.”

Calhoun said the company was committed to “safety, transparency and integrity at every step.”

The aircraft plunged into a hillside Monday near the southern city of Wuzhou. Witnesses said the plane completely disintegrated and emergency teams found no survivors at the crash site, state media reported. All 123 passengers and nine crew are feared dead.

Of the 35 flights from Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport to Beijing listed for Tuesday, two operated in the morning and three more were due to fly. All others were scrapped. Only five of the 34 flights from Beijing to Shanghai’s domestic hub were scheduled to operate.