Tianjin Binhai Airport has experienced significant flight delays for two consecutive nights. On the evening of September 11, around 3,000 passengers were affected, with the cause pointing to drone interference. This was followed by more than ten flights being affected on the 12th, disrupting their landing schedules. Airport customer service cited public safety reasons for the disruptions.
On the evening of September 12, multiple netizens reported that there were multiple planes circling in the sky above Tianjin Binhai Airport, unable to land.
Subsequently, airport customer service stated that due to public safety concerns, for about an hour from around 8 pm to 9 pm, more than ten flights scheduled to land were unable to do so.
In circulated videos, a passenger mentioned that they couldn’t fly on the 11th, citing disruption caused by drones, and they couldn’t fly on the 12th either due to the presence of drones. They questioned the nature of these unidentified drones, saying they couldn’t be found for two consecutive days.
Some netizens spread rumors of unidentified flying objects at Tianjin Binhai Airport. Netizen “Lane Horse Jiajia” said: drones filming UFOs.
As of now, Tianjin Binhai Airport has not provided an explanation for the incidents.
On the evening of the 11th, Binhai Airport reported that at 7:33 pm, due to drone-related public safety concerns, flight operations were affected. By 11 pm that evening, there were 29 delayed flights, 8 cancellations, and over 32 flights diverted to other airports, impacting more than 3,000 passengers’ travel plans.
Many affected passengers shared on-site videos showing a large number of stranded travelers at the airport. An in-flight video revealed an announcement to passengers stating, “Due to other users occupying airspace at Tianjin Binhai Airport, planes cannot take off temporarily, with no exact time available. You will be directed to the terminal building to wait and rest.”
In the afternoon of September 12, a passenger affected by the delays at Tianjin Binhai Airport told “Xiaoxiang Morning News” that their plane was supposed to depart around 8:30 pm on the 11th but was informed of airspace occupation and subsequently deboarded. They described sightings of drones on the east side of the terminal. Even though airport staff supposedly couldn’t identify them, they were visible to the naked eye. The control tower was reportedly triggered for control mechanisms. Initially, there was a pause during flight operations, followed by apparent normalization. However, at 11 pm, the drones reappeared, leading to the airport’s complete shutdown.
The passenger mentioned that upon deboarding, many passengers gathered in the terminal to exchange information. They all shared the same experience that drones appeared after 7 pm, causing all flights destined for the airport to be redirected to Beijing Daxing Airport, Shijiazhuang, Jinan, and other locations.
“We received a message first indicating a delay until around 11:30 pm for a rescheduled flight. However, around 11 pm, it seems the drones appeared again, leading to the cancellation of all flights gradually on that day,” the passenger said.