Countries worldwide are warning their citizens to stay away from Tokyo and northern Japan, where there was growing concern Sunday about the stability of multiple nuclear reactors. Inbound passengers are deferring or cancelling bookings while outbound travellers are attempting to get out of Japan ahead of schedule.
Travel plans for tens of thousands of Airline passengers remain in chaos as Japan continues to cope with the aftermath of Friday's devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami.
Though Sendai Airport is inundated with flood water and closed indefinitely, the nation's major airports including Tokyo Narita and Haneda reported minimal damage from the quake and ostensibly reopened for normal operations Saturday, with many airlines resuming flights. But travel on the ground in Japan remains highly problematic; transit between NRT and HND, normally around 2 hr., is reportedly taking about 8 hr. On Friday an estimated 23,000 people were stranded at NRT and HND when the earthquake hit.
Most rail transit service in and around Tokyo resumed over the weekend after being shutdown Friday.
Within Japan it is estimated that more than 1,000 domestic flights were cancelled from Friday through Sunday night. Combined Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways suffered damage to seven aircraft due to the earthquake. International flights to/from Japan were operating throughout the weekend though often at reduced levels and most airlines are waiving charges for deferring travel to the troubled nation.
But momentum in the Air transport operational recovery is complicated by the fact that there is growing fear about potential radiation exposure from northern Japan nuclear reactors that suffered cooling-system malfunctions in the quake and are at risk of meltdown. The Japanese government on Sunday was pumping in seawater in an attempt to cool one of the reactors. The news about the reactors is expected to compound Air travel problems significantly.
JAL said it cancelled 158 flights Friday including 15 international flights, axed 130 flights Saturday including 17 international, and was expected to cancel 26 flights Sunday including two international. ANA said it cancelled 70 flights Saturday including 12 international. It cancelled 130 flights on Friday.
From Europe and Americas many Airlines cancelled flights to Japan as passengers deferred travel plans over concerns about safety and hotel damage.
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