Some Chinese airlines cancel flights to S'pore following rising fuel prices

Chinese airlines have recently cancelled flights to Southeast Asia and Oceania, including many routes to and from Singapore.

This is likely to disrupt travel plans for travellers between China and Singapore in April and May, including the usual surge of Chinese tourists visiting Singapore during the Golden Week holiday.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the Chinese application "Flight Manager" indicated that some flights to and from Singapore from Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing and other Chinese cities have been cancelled from late April to early May.

These included flights operated by Juneyao Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

Rising fuel prices

Local travel agencies told Zaobao that the Middle East conflict has triggered a global energy crisis, leading Chinese airlines to gradually reduce and consolidate flights between Singapore and various Chinese cities, especially those with low load factors.

Chinese media outlets have previously reported similar trends, noting that several routes from China to Southeast Asia cancelled all flights from Apr. 1 to 12 following the rise in fuel prices.

According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global average price of jet fuel was US$209 per barrel for the week ending Apr. 3, 2026.

While the figure fell to US$197.83 per barrel for the week ending Apr. 10, it remains a significant increase from US$99.40 per barrel in the week ending Feb. 27, 2026.

While fuel prices have more than doubled, international airfares have not increased significantly in tandem, according to Chinese media STCN, citing civil aviation experts.

This has led airlines operating on these routes into a predicament where "the more flights they operate, the greater their losses."

Local tour groups affected

A marketing manager at a travel agency told Zaobao that there is no specific pattern to flight cancellations — airlines may arrange for passengers to take flights departing a few days earlier or later, or to fly to other cities instead.

A vice president of another travel agency said several tour groups already in Wuhan or Beijing have received notifications of flight cancellations.

For example, one tour group originally scheduled to return to Singapore from Wuhan had to change its route to Shanghai due to cancellations.

Meanwhile, some travellers had to depart earlier or return later to ensure they could visit all the attractions on their itineraries.

The vice president added that if an airline cancels a flight, it will usually cooperate with the travel agency to rebook passengers to another city or destination.

For instance, instead of flying to Beijing, travellers may fly to Shanghai and then transfer to a domestic flight to reach their original destination.

However, if travel to and from the original destination by land is required, the additional cost is usually shared by the travel agency or its local partner in China.

A China market manager from another travel agency pointed out that airlines generally only offer free rebooking or refunds, and do not cover additional transportation costs incurred when rerouting flights to other cities.

To ensure smooth travel, their agency coordinates and absorbs these extra costs.

Impact on Chinese tourists coming to Singapore

With Golden Week holiday approaching, Chinese travellers affected by cancelled international flights have taken to social media to air their grievances.

One traveller who had planned a trip from Beijing to Singapore had originally booked an Air China flight CA975, departing in the early morning of Apr. 24.

However, she received a notice of the flight cancellation via SMS, and later posted a screenshot of it on Xiaohongshu on Apr. 8.

She claimed that she did not receive a refund promptly.

Top photo from Air China/Facebook