Typhoon Bavi Disrupts Air Travel Across China with Thousands of Flight Cancellations

International

Severe thunderstorms and torrential rain affect airports, high-speed rail services and travel across large parts of eastern and southern China

Thousands of travellers across China are facing major travel disruptions after Typhoon Bavi brought heavy rain and severe thunderstorms to large parts of the country. Airlines canceled more than 2,800 inbound and outbound flights scheduled for Sunday, while hundreds of additional services were delayed as airports reduced operations in response to the severe weather.

Major airports operate with reduced capacity

According to travel analytics platform Umetrip, flight operations have been heavily affected at airports in Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Shenyang, Dalian and Chengdu, among other cities. Airports in Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangxi and Hainan also reported widespread cancellations.

In Shanghai, both Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport are operating with reduced capacity. Nearly 30 percent of all scheduled arrivals and departures are expected to be canceled as Typhoon Bavi continues to impact eastern China.

A total of 45 airports, including those in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Changzhou, issued thunderstorm alerts as adverse weather conditions spread across the region.

Heavy rain disrupts transport across eastern China

Typhoon Bavi, the ninth named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall in Zhejiang Province on Saturday, bringing torrential rainfall to extensive areas of eastern and southern China. Weather authorities expect further heavy rain and thunderstorms in several regions on Sunday.

The severe weather has also caused significant delays at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, two of northern China's busiest aviation hubs.

Rail passengers also affected

The impact extends beyond air travel. Authorities in several provinces have suspended high-speed rail services on selected routes as a precaution, creating additional challenges for domestic travellers seeking alternative transport.

Passengers travelling to or within China are advised to check the latest flight and rail information before departure, as further weather-related disruptions remain possible while Typhoon Bavi continues to move across the country.