Haneda Airport, Over 100 Flights Canceled Due to Collision Accident...Massive Stranding of Returning Travelers

As flights were consecutively canceled following the aircraft collision accident at Haneda Airport in Japan, citizens and tourists who had returned to their hometowns for the year-end and New Year holidays found themselves stranded. It is expected to take more time to normalize operations, raising concerns that more than 18,000 people will experience inconvenience.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to NHK on the 3rd, over 100 flights have been canceled due to the aircraft collision accident at Haneda Airport that occurred the previous day. Haneda Airport temporarily closed its runway immediately after the accident and resumed operations around 9:30 PM. Nevertheless, the normalization of flights remains uncertain.

Two major airlines, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), decided to cancel 98 domestic flights and one international flight from Gimpo to Haneda operated by ANA on the 3rd. The number of canceled flights has since increased.

Notice of Flight Cancellations and Departure Delays by All Nippon Airways (ANA). (Photo by ANA website)

The Japanese aviation magazine Aviation Wire estimated that approximately 18,710 people will be inconvenienced by these cancellations.

Each airline has warned that the number of canceled flights is likely to increase and urged passengers to continuously check the latest flight status on their websites. ANA stated in a notice, "There is a high possibility of sudden delays or cancellations due to flight adjustments. We apologize for the inconvenience."

As a result, from early morning, many people gathered at dedicated counters at Haneda Airport to replace canceled flights with alternative ones.

Crowds gathered at Haneda Airport due to flight changes. (Photo by NHK)

The problem is that this day is when many people who had visited their hometowns or traveled are returning. NHK forecasted, "The return rush of travelers will peak on the 3rd." With air routes blocked, people hurriedly booked the Shinkansen, the high-speed train, or changed their flights to Narita Airport near Haneda. Consequently, highways and the Shinkansen on the return routes are experiencing congestion and delays. In particular, some flights that were heading to Haneda Airport at the time of the accident were unable to land and diverted to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture, adding to the confusion.

Most routes, including the Tokaido (East Sea) Shinkansen, are nearly fully booked for reserved seats, and the Joetsu Shinkansen connecting Saitama Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture is experiencing congestion with non-reserved seat occupancy rates reaching up to 130%. JR announced, "Due to the increase in Shinkansen passengers following the Haneda Airport accident last night, congestion is expected," and added, "We will temporarily operate additional trains on some up and down routes."

However, it is still unknown when Haneda Airport will fully resume normal operations. TBS reported, "No decisions have been made yet regarding flights after the 4th."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.