More than 1,900 flights from mainland China to Japan have been canceled for December, wiping out over 40% of scheduled services for the month. It’s one of the clearest signs yet that the political freeze between the two countries is now affecting travel patterns across Asia.
Major Chinese carriers, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines, have pulled flights or cut capacity. Travel companies in China are offering refunds and fee waivers for Japan-bound trips through the end of December.
Daily flights, which peaked at more than 200 per day in October, could fall below 100, said Subramania Bhatt, CEO of China Trading Desk. “A full-month reduction of 40-45% looks likely,” Bhatt told Skift.
What Triggered the Pullback
The travel fallout began after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan could deploy military forces in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing responded