Sandy weather disrupts flights in Lhasa

On Wednesday, more than 4,300 passengers were stuck at Lhasa's airport. Due to the reduced visibility caused by the sandy weather, the plateau city was clouded by dust.

The sandy weather started on Tuesday. Nine flights were canceled and 1,300 passengers were stranded at Gonggar Airport. And the sandy weather got worse on Wednesday, which caused 3,000 more passengers to be stranded at the airport. But all the laid-over passengers were provided with free food and people were updated with the flight information, according to the airport operation center.

On Wednesday afternoon, the weather started to clear up and 17 flights had taken off as of 6 pm, diverting more than 2,000 passengers. Most of the passengers boarded by Wednesday night.

The unfavorable weather, a common occurrence in the Lhasa River Valley in winters, is a nuisance for air travelers, most of whom are desperate to get back home on time to reunite with their family members for the Spring Festival.

From Tibetnews