China to lift air traffic controls
Flights in the eastern, central and southern regions to return to normal after many delays and cancellations caused by military drills
China today will lift air traffic control measures imposed to allow military drills and that have caused major delays and cancellations of flights, raising concerns over airline earnings.
Flights in the country’s eastern, central and southern regions will return to normal once the restrictions are lifted, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said a statement posted on its website late yesterday .
The Public Security Bureau had said flights could still be affected until mid-August. Xinhua said military drills would continue in coastal areas in the southeast even after the air control restrictions were lifted.
Hundreds of flights have been delayed or cancelled since July 20 due to the air controls.
In one of the most serious disruptions, authorities issued a red alert on Tuesday, resulting in a near shut down of 20 airports in east China for much of the afternoon.
The military exercises, which political analysts say are larger in scope and duration than in years past, come as tensions with Japan and other Asian nations increase, although the government has called them annual and routine.
