Major transportation hubs in Southern China faced severe operational challenges on Monday as powerful thunderstorms and hailstorms swept through the region, creating widespread travel chaos across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport bore the brunt of the extreme weather conditions, implementing significant flight adjustments to ensure passenger safety. Aviation authorities reported that by 2:30 pm local time, Baiyun Airport had canceled more than 120 flights and experienced delays affecting over 390 aircraft. Simultaneously, Shenzhen Bao’an Airport recorded approximately 90 cancellations, 310 delays, and seven diversions to alternative airports.
The disruption particularly impacted air routes connecting to Eastern, Central, and Northern China regions. Both airport administrations emphasized their proactive implementation of schedule modifications to minimize passenger inconvenience during peak travel periods.
China Southern Airlines, the region’s major carrier, activated a yellow alert for large-scale flight delays in Guangzhou, effective from 9:30 am through 11:59 pm on Monday. The airline implemented flexible rebooking and refund policies to accommodate affected travelers. One passenger, identified only as Zhou, opted for a full refund after her Guangzhou-to-Wuhan flight was indefinitely postponed.
Surface transportation networks also suffered substantial interruptions. Regional high-speed rail and intercity railway services experienced weather-related suspensions and delays according to local railway authorities.
Meteorological agencies had issued advanced warnings, with Guangzhou activating orange-level thunderstorm alerts across all eleven city districts and orange hail warnings for nine districts including Yuexiu. Weather officials indicated that the severe thunderstorm conditions would likely persist through Tuesday, advising residents to limit non-essential travel and monitor official updates.