Air Canada has restored its scheduled service to China after Typhoon Dolphin disrupted operations across the region over the weekend, forcing the carrier to cancel a pair of transpacific flights and delay others.
The airline scrubbed flight AC25 from Vancouver to Shanghai on August 8 and the return segment, AC26, the following day. Additional Shanghai-bound departures on August 9 were held on the ground until the most intense winds eased, spokesperson Sean Davidson confirmed.
"The worst of the storm has now passed, and our flights are operating," Davidson said. He added that the carrier monitors weather events globally and makes operational decisions with safety as the top priority.
Storm track and regional impact
Typhoon Dolphin made its closest approach just north of Okinawa's main island on Friday afternoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometres per hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Naha Airport on Okinawa closed for the day, grounding all domestic and international movements.
The disruption underscores the vulnerability of North Asia flight corridors to late-summer tropical cyclones. For Canadian travellers and businesses reliant on the Vancouver-Shanghai link, Air Canada's only year-round mainland China route, the cancellations meant rebooking delays and cargo interruptions at a time when capacity on the corridor remains tight.
The airline has not quantified how many passengers were affected, but both cancelled flights operate on Boeing 787 Dreamliners configured for roughly 300 seats each. Customers whose itineraries were disrupted are being reaccommodated on the next available services.
Based on reporting by Global News.