25 Graphs Show ’s Deserted Airports Due to COVID-19 Outbreak

By Tariq Hashmat

www.ha-asia.com 25 Graphs Show China’s Deserted Airports Due to Covid-19 Outbreak China’s major airports after the COVID-19 outbreak have witnessed a steep fall. around the world are either cancelling or cutting flights to China in response to the accelerating spread of the virus, reports Tariq Hashmat.

On December 31, 2019, China alerted the In the midst of this chaos, air traffic at China’s World Health Organization of an unusual busiest airports has plummeted by more than pneumonia in the city of in 80 percent since the beginning of the year. province. A week later, the virus was named Data obtained from FlightRadar24, a Sweden- 2019-nCOV and was identified as belonging to based global flight tracking service, shows the the coronavirus family, which includes SARS steep drop in the number of flight departures and common cold. Less than 8 weeks later, the from 25 major Chinese airports as a world is on the brink of a pandemic, with over consequence of coronavirus outbreak. 95,000 identified cases and 3200 deaths.

Total Flight Departures at 25 Busiest Airports In China

out of 25 airports commercial departures record a drop out of Wuhan 0 17 of over 80% Shares in China’s three biggest airlines—, Fall in Air Traffic at 25 Busiest Airports of China and —have fallen by more than 20 percent since the first person died from the new strain. The rapid spread of the coronavirus is testing airlines and Peking: 85.8% travel companies with a broad decline in travel demand that had been nearly unthinkable over the Pudong: 82.3% past decade. This drop-in in China and the Wuhan Tianhe: 98.2% continuous spread of coronavirus is expected to Shuangliu: 63.9%

Over 90% Baiyun: 82.6% have an impact on the global aviation market as 80% - 90% Bao'an: 75.9% well. In fact, it could cost airlines more than $29 70% - 80% Under 70% billion in revenue, the International Air Transport Association warned last week. Bahrain has suspended flights to UAE, while The decline in Chinese air traffic began during the Kuwait has suspended all its flights to Iraq. The third week in January and accelerated in the fourth human, social and economic impacts of this week. Declines have pared a bit in February, but coronavirus outbreak can only be measured once this is likely due to an already dramatic reduction the recovery starts. For now, all efforts are focused in operations. Traffic increased marginally on on containing and combating the outbreak. February 25 but flights out of Beijing Peking, Shanghai, and Guangzhou Baiyun, all saw further Although India has curtailed its flight connectivity reductions. Until the recovery begins, China will see to countries like China, , and this level of service as the new status quo. Italy, only a limited number of airports are screening the inbound flyers. Passengers coming in Into the tenth week of the outbreak, the spread of from Dubai and other transit hubs are still not coronavirus has reached alarming rates. With screened. increased cases of coronavirus being reported in countries near and far from China, including South As COVID-19 spreads, its effect on business and Korea, Italy, and Iran, numerous flight routes across tourism is amplified. Already tourism into and out the world are being cut in a desperate attempt to of mainland China has plunged. Some 400,000 contain the spread of the disease. Chinese tourists are forecast to cancel trips to by the end of March. Italy has reported the highest number of deaths outside of mainland China, while Iran too has seen Health Analytics Asia analysed data from 25 a sudden surge in cases and deaths. Air traffic has busiest airports in China. The data shows how hard been hit in Italy, Iran, and several other Middle China’s air traffic is hit by coronavirus as travel Eastern countries. Kuwait, Lebanon, Russia, and bans and fear and panic are taking their toll.Given Oman are either scaling down or completely China’s place in global supply chain, it is suspending flights to Iranian airports. increasingly clear that the virus could cost the world’s economy dearly.

9607 1891 80.3% Departures on Departures on Drop in Number of 31 December 2019 25 February 2020 Departures Wuhan (WUH)

Departures at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH)

Wuhan has been under effective quarantine since January 23. The Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH) has seen a drop in commercial flight departures to an absolute zero, with only aid and rescue flights operating to and from the city. Flight operations are expected to remain this way until recovery begins.

Beijing (PEK)

Departures at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) The busiest airport in Asia, and the second busiest airport in the world, the Beijijng Capital International Airport has seen a drop of over 85 percent in total flight departures. Major carriers like , and have extended their suspension of operations to the capital city, while a number of other carriers have reduced their capacity on this route.

272 Departures from 899 Departures from 4 WUH 128 PEK Shanghai Pudong (PVG)

Departures at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PEK)

The busiest international hub of China, the Pudong International Airport has seen a fall in departures by over 82 percent. Among the suspended flights is 's Mumbai - Delhi - Shanghai service. , and Air Canada, among others, have extended the suspension of their flights to Shanghai.

Guangzhou (CAN)

Departures at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)

India's largest carrier, IndiGo Airlines has suspended its Kolkata - Guangzhou service since February 6. Likewise, SAS and too have suspended flights. Starting February 25, China Southern Airlines has resumed its Guangzhou - Nairobi.

764 Departures from 757 Departures from 135 PVG 132 CAN Chengdu (CTU)

Departures at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU)

A hub for 8 Chinese carriers, the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport has seen its fair share of fall in air traffic. The 64 percent drop in departures includes IndiGo's service from Delhi. On February 28, Air China has resumed its Chengdu - Frankfurt service after a 21-day suspension.

Shenzhen (SZX)

Departures at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX)

One of the three largest airport hubs serving the Pearl River Delta, the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport has wintessed a drop in departures by over 75 percent. In addition to the mostly domestic flights affected, international flights such as Singapore Airlines' SilkAir has suspended operations too.

582 Departures from 581 Departures from 210 CTU 140 SZX (KMG)

Departures at Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG)

China's gateway to Southeast and South Asia, the Kunming Changshui International Airport has seen a drop in departures by nearly 78 percent. China Eastern Airlines suspended its flights between Kolkata and Kunming from February 10 to February 29.

Xi'an (XIY)

Departures at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY)

Departures from northwestern China's largest airport dropped by more than 84 percent, with merely 83 flights taking off on February 25. While most of the suspensions include domestic flights, international carriers such as and have suspended operations too.

520 Departures from 526 Departures from 115 KMG 83 XIY Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)

Departures at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)

Flight departures at Shanghai's second airport have seen a dip of nearly 76 percent. Most of the cancelations currently logged on FlightRadar24 constitute of select domestic flights of China Eastern, China Southern, and several others.

Chongqing (CKG)

Departures at Jiangbei International Airport (CKG)

SilkAir and Air Asia X have suspended flights to Chongqing from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur respectively. Other operations that constitute the almost 71 percent fall are domestic carriers like China Southern, ,, among others.

453 Departures from 523 Departures from 109 SHA 153 CKG (HGH)

Departures at Hangzhou International Airport (HGH)

Home to Chinese techgiant Alibaba, Hangzhou's lockdown has brought down commercial flight departures from its international airport by over 72 percent. Foreign airlines with suspended operations include , EgyptAir and KLM.

Nanjing (NKG)

Departures at Lukou International Airport (NKG)

Finnair, and Scoot have stopped flying out ot Nanjing, as part of their blanket suspension of oepartions across mainland China. This, in addition to domestic suspensions and cancellations has reduced departures by 81.5 percent.

404 Departures from 325 Departures from 110 HGH 60 NKG (CGO)

Departures at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO)

While most of the suspensions and cancellations at at Zhengzhou Xinzheng are of local/domestic flights, Scoot, Garuda and have halted their services from Singapore, and Hong Kong respectively.

Xiamen (XMN)

Departures at Gaoqi International Airport (XMN)

The international operators who have suspended flights to Xiamen Gaoqi include , KLM, Cebu Pacific and Cathay Dragon.

306 Departures from 284 Departures from 53 CGO 66 XMN (CSX)

Departures at Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX)

Among the international operators with flights suspended out of Changsha Huanghua are Scoot's service to Singapore, Air Asia X to Kuala Lumpur, Lion Air to Denpasar and Thai Smile to . Apart from domestic flights, select international flights of China Southern, China Eastern and Airlines are also suspended

Qingdao (TAO)

Departures at Liuting International Airport (TAO)

Domestic suspensions and cancellations at Qingdao Liuting include Air China, China, Xiamen Air, China Eastern, among others. The 84 percent drop in traffic also includes international flights such as ' service to London Heathrow.

238 Departures from 288 Departures from 40 CSX 46 TAO (HAK)

Departures at Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK)

Flights from Haikou Meilan to Beijing, Xi'an, Hangzhou, among others, operated by China Southern, Capital Airlines, stay cancelled or suspended. International flights such as Scoot's service to Singapore and Hainan Airlines' service to Melbourne remain suspended too.

Tianjin (TSN)

Departures at Binhai International Airport (TSN)

A major proportion of the nearly 89 percent fall in departures from Tianjin Binhai consists of domestic flights by Air China, Fazhou Airlines and . Suspended international flights include the usual suspects such as Scoot's Singapore service and Air Asia X's flights to Kuala Lumpur.

270 Departures from 219 Departures from 44 HAK 24 TSN Ürümqi (URC)

Departures at Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport (URC)

Notable International flights suspended out of Ürümqi Diwopu include 's service from Sharjah and ' service from Tashkent. This is in addition to suspensions by Chinese carriers such Air China and China Southern on select domestic and international operations.

Harbin (HRB)

Departures at Taiping International Airport (HRB)

Harbin Taiping has seen a drop of 85 percent in flight operations over in 8 weeks. Russian carrier Aurora has suspended its services from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Selected domestic and international operations of Chinese carriers such as Air China, China Eastern and China Southern are also suspended.

136 Departures from 207 Departures from 15 URC 31 HRB (KWE)

Departures at Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (KWE)

Italian leisure carrier has withdrawn its service to Guiyang Longdongbao from Milan Malpensa service. As is the case with all other airports, Chinese carriers like China Southern and China Express dominated the list of cancellations and suspensions.

Sanya (SYX)

Departures at Phoenix International Airport (SYX)

Domestic operations have taken the biggest hit at Sanya Phoenix with China Southern, Capital Airlines and China suspending or cancelling several of their routes. Foreign carriers such as Nordstar and Thai AirAsia have suspended operations as well.

192 Departures from 271 Departures from 54 KWE 38 SYX (SHE)

Departures at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport (SHE)

All Nippon Airways and Lufthansa have suspended their services from Narita and Frankfurt respectively. Additionally, cancellations and suspensions by local carriers such as Air China and Airlines sum to make for an 80 percent drop in operations and Shenyang Taoxian.

Dalian (DLC)

Departures at Zhoushuizi International Airport (DLC)

A big portion of the drop in operations at Dalian Zhoushuizi consists of suspensions of select domestic flights by carriers such as China Southern, and Hainan Airlines. International routes, such as Ziamen Air's service to Kuala Lumpur, are also suspended.

195 Departures from 220 Departures from 39 SHE 31 DLC (TNA)

Departures at Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA)

Apart from the numerous domestic operations suspended or cancelled out of Jinan Yqoqiang, international flights such as Scoot's service from Singapore, ' service to Helsinki and Shandong Airlines service to Bangkok have been suspended too.

175 Departures from 7716 TNA Fewer departures from 30 China's 25 busiest airports Want to be part of health analytics Asia?

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