Hundreds of Beijing flights cancelled after coronavirus resurgence

Hundreds of flights in and out of Beijing were cancelled Wednesday as authorities stepped up measures to rein in a sudden outbreak of coronavirus in the Chinese capital, placing it under a so-called "soft lockdown". On Wednesday, Beijing reported 31 new Covid-19 cases for the previous day, bringing the total number of infections over the past six days to 137. While the Beijing government did not announce the suspension of transportation in and out of the city, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Beijing's two major airports on Wednesday, according to aviation data providers. According to aviation data tracker Variflight, as of 3 p.m. local time Wednesday (3 a.m. ET), at least 630 flights had been or were likely to be cancelled at the Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport -- around half of all scheduled flights. Air traffic at from both airports had been on the rise since May until the drastic plunge this week, Variflight data showed. Flight Master, another China-based aviation data provider, said 1,255 flights had been scrapped at both airports on Wednesday, accounting for 67% of outgoing flights and 68% of incoming flights. Air China, the country's flag carrier, announced on social media that 297 flights arriving or departing from the Beijing Capital International Airport were cancelled. "Affected by the outbreak in Beijing, there are mass delays and cancellations of arriving and departing flights," its statement said. Several domestic airlines, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Hainan Airlines, have promised full refunds to passengers who bought tickets to leave Beijing from this week to the end of June.<br/>