Beijing Capital Airport quells UFO flight delay rumor

Edited and Translated by Ma Xi, People's Daily Online

Speculation on microblogs was rampant that a UFO appeared over the Beijing Capital Airport, causing massive delays of flights on Sept. 13. But the airport officially confirmed that the delays resulted from restrictions on the western flight lines starting at 2:00 p.m. yesterday.

Microblogs were abuzz over the news of UFOs yesterday afternoon. Widespread delays of flights from Beijing to other provinces and cities — especially in the western regions of China — happened yesterday.

Some pictures provided by netizens confirmed a large number of passengers stranded at the T2 and T3 terminals starting at 2:00 p.m. yesterday. Someone claimed on microblogs that no one had seen whether it was a UFO or not, so it was hard to make any conclusion.

The rumor of the UFO was quashed by the Beijing Capital Airport yesterday. The transport committee of the airport declared on its official microblog that the serious delays were caused by restrictions on the western flight lines. The restrictions were canceled at 5:00 p.m. yesterday, and the take-offs and landings of flights gradually resumed.

On Sept. 13, Hainan Airlines, which confirmed on its official microblog at 4:44 p.m. that the western flight lines were blocked, was the only airline to respond to the UFO rumor as of yesterday.