The three major airports in south China's tropical island province of Hainan all saw a surge in passenger flow on Thursday -- the first day of 2026, handling 1,065 arrival and departure flights carrying 169,500 passengers.
The passengers mainly include international travelers, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and locals returning home for family reunions during the three-day New Year holiday season from Thursday to Saturday.
To meet the surging travel demand during the holiday, the airports have ramped up the use of wide-body aircrafts on routes to key source markets and improve flight support services and on-time performance.
Hainan's three major airports are the Haikou Meilan International Airport, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport and the Qionghai Boao International Airport.
Known as the "Hawaii of the East," Hainan boasts beautiful beaches, tropical resorts, and stunning coastal landscapes, making it a popular destination for vacationers and water sports enthusiasts.
Major airports in Hainan see surge in passenger flow on New Year's Day
Yemen's transport ministry on Thursday rejected new Saudi-imposed flight restrictions, calling a requirement for planes to stop in Saudi Arabia for security inspections an "air blockade" that undermines national sovereignty.
Officials loyal to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC) have refused to comply with the new protocols ordered by Yemen's Saudi-backed central government, and have partially halted operations in Aden International Airport, the country's primary gateway, a source within the Yemeni government told China's Xinhua News Agency.
The standoff is the latest sign of a deepening fracture within the coalition fighting the Houthi group. While the STC is technically part of Yemen's ruling Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), the group seeks independence for southern Yemen and is frequently at odds with the internationally recognized government.
Saudi Arabia recently ordered all international flights departing and entering Yemen to undergo security screenings at Jeddah Airport before continuing to their final destinations. While some of those restrictions were later eased, they remain in place for all flights traveling to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is allegedly the main backer of STC.
Government officials said the measures are intended to curb the movement of STC leaders between Yemen and the UAE, effectively cutting off external support for the secessionist movement.
Tensions between the factions escalated this week after the STC seized large swathes of the oil-rich Hadramout province and the eastern province of Al-Mahrah. Riyadh considers these areas a "red line" due to their proximity to the Saudi border and their concentration of Yemen's remaining energy reserves.
On Tuesday, a Saudi-led coalition airstrike targeted vehicles at the port of Mukalla in Hadramout. Saudi officials said the vehicles were intended for STC forces. Following the strike, PLC Chairman Rashad al-Alimi canceled a joint defense agreement with the UAE and ordered all Emirati forces to leave the country within 24 hours. The UAE confirmed Thursday it has begun withdrawing its remaining troops from Hadramout, citing safety concerns.
The STC commands significant control over Aden and other southern cities. Several cabinet members, including Transport Minister Abdulsalam Saleh Humaid, are loyal to the STC rather than the central leadership.
Aden's pro-separatist officials reject Saudi flight restrictions, partially halt airport operations
Aden's pro-separatist officials reject Saudi flight restrictions, partially halt airport operations
