China has left me stranded in Japan at high cost, not only for myself, but for them, too.
Like over half a million other passengers who had flights booked through Chinese airlines leaving Japan, my flight was unfortunately cancelled, seemingly by the CCP, as a result of its latest spat with Japan. Earlier this month, newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said what was often inferred but never stated: that an invasion or blockade of Taiwan by the CCP was grounds for a possible Japanese military response.
China’s response was immediate, from statements of protest to an actual threat from the current Chinese Consul General in Osaka against Prime Minister Takiachi.
In further retaliation to these comments, the CCP effectively ordered Chinese airlines to cancel flights from Japan to China. While it may be a domestically popular move, at a time when China should be trying to build condemnation for the new Japanese PM’s comments, they are instead fueling resentment against themselves.
While it should be obvious that the CCP would respond to Takaichi’s remarks, their decision to cancel flights doesn’t affect only Japan but also hundreds of thousands of international travellers like me who were depending on those flights to get home.
For those of us who chose to fly on Chinese-owned carriers, China Eastern Airlines, in my case, we were drawn to them for their low cost, many direct flight options, and reputation for service. And let me be abundantly clear: I had a very pleasant experience flying on China Eastern Airlines—the staff were friendly, the service was good, the planes themselves were very comfortable and had plenty of leg room for a 6ft 5in guy like myself.
On top of that, the price was low. If not for this mass cancellation, I would have happily flown with them again. But now, halfway through my work trip to Japan, I, like so many others, have been forced to scramble to find a way home.
‘The CCP has several times ordered for flights to be cancelled from various countries in the past over perceived diplomatic slights’
This isn’t a one-off isolated incident. The CCP has several times ordered for flights to be cancelled from various countries in the past over perceived diplomatic slights.
And not just over sensitive topics like Taiwan. In 2017, after South Korea announced it would be deploying a new American-made anti-missile air defence system, China cancelled flights to South Korea in retaliation.
Given this track record, it gives international travellers like myself pause as to whether we will be risking flying through a Chinese airline again.
To make matters worse, economic data from airline experts and researchers indicates that this move hurts Beijing much more than it does Tokyo. The fact of the matter is, the vast majority of air traffic from Japan to China is conducted on Chinese-owned airlines.
And for Chinese budget airliners such as Spring Airlines, nearly half of their flights and profits came from routes going from Japan to China. This is devastating for Chinese airlines as they are having to cancel and refund nearly half a million flights and deal with the damage it’s caused to their reputation with international travellers.
Beijing has clearly made a blunder, seeking a short-term domestic gain at the long-term expense of its aviation industry. If the aim was to punish Japan’s tourism, the move to boycott Japan has backfired. Japanese people have long been complaining about overtourism across Japan, and the decision by Beijing to halt Chinese tourism has been positively received by many.
The reality is that having fewer tourists for a few months, especially in top destinations like Kyoto, which has started levying a 10,000 yen-per-night tax on tourists to dissuade overtourism, is being seen as a welcome relief by many locals.
If China wants to exert pressure on Japan, this isn’t the way. Ultimately, it has only damaged the reputation and viability of its airlines. We’ll have to see how these two countries try to resolve their differences.
In the meantime, if you’re planning to travel to Asia, think twice before you decide which airline to fly with.
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