Flight To Chengdu Refused Into Chinese Airspace

Phnom Penh: On the morning of March 29, a flight from Phnom Penh to Chengdu was not allowed to enter China and was made to return to Cambodia.

It is understood that the flight JC Airlines flight QD738A departed from Phnom Penh at 23:10 on March 28. A total of 146 Chinese citizens were on board.

At 00:40 on March 29, the flight received an air traffic control request to return to Cambodia, when the plane was over Laos.

Mr. Chen (pseudonym), a passenger on board, said, “The plane said that (because of) domestic health and epidemic prevention, (China) would not allow us to enter Chinese airspace, and required us to return, but several planes in the same period have successfully entered.”

At about 2:30 am, the plane landed at Phnom Penh Airport. However, the passengers on the plane were worried that they would not be able to return to China and did not get off the plane. “We have been sitting in the plane until dawn, and we have repeatedly promised that we will arrange our follow-up. Never been off the plane. “

Another Ms. Liu (pseudonym) said that she and other passengers had waited 9 hours on the plane. This was her third time to buy a ticket, which cost 7,880 yuan ($1,120). Ms. Liu said that she had already bought 2 flights for 15,000 ($2000), but both were cancelled, without refund.

Ms. Liu said that she lost her factory in Sihanoukville and spent all her savings trying to return home.

Mr. Chen said that around 7 o’clock on Sunday morning, the staff of the embassy and the chairman of JC Aviation came to the plane to persuade the passengers to leave the plane and they went to a hotel arranged by the airline.

Currently, 146 passengers of the flight are in the hotel in Phnom Penh, waiting for the airline to arrange a flight back home.

The Cambodian JC Airlines in charge told the Angkor Times reporter that the flight could not be landed due to air traffic control. Currently, passengers have to stay in the hotel, and passengers will be arranged another flight.

JC Airlines stated that during this period the board and lodging were arranged by the company, and the signing fee was also borne by the company.

According to the previous notice from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, from the 29th, only one route from each airline in China to any country is reserved, and only one route from each foreign airline to China is allowed, with no more than one service weekly.

(Angkor Times) also verified in other Chinese language news.

UPDATE: https://cne.wtf/2020/03/30/barred-chengdu-flight-passengers-allowed-to-leave/