Shanghai airports step up passenger support as hundreds of flights canceled due to typhoon

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shanghai's two major airports, Pudong and Hongqiao, mobilized extra resources to assist stranded travelers, coordinate flight rescheduling and provide essential services to cope with cancellation of flights on Sunday due to Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of the year.

At Pudong International Airport, passenger volumes were relatively light after many cancellations were announced the previous night. But as winds picked up, additional flights were called off throughout the day.

"We are a group of 12 flying to Dalian, and we were only told our flight was canceled right as we were about to check in. But because it's due to weather factors, we understand," said a traveler.

Airlines on site issued updated flight adjustment notices and opened dedicated counters to handle ticket refunds and rescheduling.

"We have arranged dedicated staff to guide and safely disperse travelers. Depending on the travelers' situations, we are also making appropriate accommodation arrangements, particularly for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, the sick and pregnant women," said Cao Ming, director of the check-in office at Shanghai Pudong ground service department at China Southern Airlines.

Many travelers who had completed ticket changes left the terminals. A smaller number of foreign passengers remained because their bookings were made through overseas platforms, who had failed to have immediate contacts with airlines. Airport service center staff quickly stepped in to help. 

"I should have flown to Chongqing, but the flight has been canceled. The problem is that I have another flight to Milan. They are rearranging our flights and helping us with the train tickets from the new airport station and that's a very good help. We've been lucky to find them here," said a traveler from Italy.

In addition, the airport added temporary free rest areas with charging outlets inside terminals, while restaurants and retail stores inside the terminals increased supplies of hot meals, drinking water, snacks and daily necessities.

Shanghai airports step up passenger support as hundreds of flights canceled due to typhoon

The Chinese and Indonesian navies successfully completed a naval navigation exercise in waters east of China's Taiwan Island on Wednesday, according to Chinese military authorities.

The exercise involved the Chinese naval vessel Honghe and Indonesian Navy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, a military statement said.

During the exercise, the two warships formed a naval formation and conducted practical drills covering maritime communications, formation maneuvers, underway replenishment, and a parting ceremony.

During the communications drill, crews from both navies practiced real-time maritime information exchange, tactical order transmission, and flag semaphore signaling.

"In this joint exercise with a foreign navy, all tactical communication brevity codes and signal flag procedures strictly followed international standards, effectively validating our maritime communication and information exchange capabilities with naval vessels of other nations,"said Gao Yongjie, an officer aboard the Chinese naval vessel Honghe.

After that, the two vessels transitioned to an underway replenishment exercise. Operating under a pre-coordinated replenishment plan, both ships executed precise maneuvering to assume their designated replenishment stations.

"At-sea replenishment places high demands on ship maneuvering and command coordination. Through this exercise, we have continuously refined the at-sea replenishment command procedures with the Indonesian naval vessel, enhancing our mutual coordination and interoperability," said Jin Xiasheng, another officer aboard the Honghe.

The exercise demonstrated the two navies' willingness and capability to conduct practical cooperation and jointly contribute to regional peace and stability, said a statement from the Chinese military.

China, Indonesia wrap up naval navigation exercise in waters east of Taiwan Island