Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND) airports partially reopened for some flights late Friday after a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake forced the busy facilities to shut down for most of the day, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Sendai Airport, close to the epicenter of the quake in northeast Japan, was inundated by a tsunami, with photos from the scene showing people gathered on the roof of a terminal to avoid flood waters.
News reports from Tokyo estimated that more than 20,000 people were stranded at NRT and HND in the aftermath of the earthquake. Airlines throughout the world announced that flights to Tokyo had been cancelled, delayed or diverted, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) saying around 130 of its flights were axed. Japan Airlines has not provided a cancellation figure. Finnair said it has canceled Friday's flight to Tokyo and the return flight from Tokyo to Helsinki tomorrow. Its flights to Nagoya and Osaka will operate normally. U.S. airlines canceled most flights to and from Japan Friday.
Kyodo news agency reported that 700 flights overall have been cancelled as a result of the quake. Neither NRT or HND has reported serious damage.
Some flights en route to Tokyo at the time of the quake were diverted to airports in southern Japan such as Osaka Kansai, while others went to Seoul Inchon.
News reports from Tokyo estimated that more than 20,000 people were stranded at NRT and HND in the aftermath of the earthquake. Airlines throughout the world announced that flights to Tokyo had been cancelled, delayed or diverted, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) saying around 130 of its flights were axed. Japan Airlines has not provided a cancellation figure. Finnair said it has canceled Friday's flight to Tokyo and the return flight from Tokyo to Helsinki tomorrow. Its flights to Nagoya and Osaka will operate normally. U.S. airlines canceled most flights to and from Japan Friday.
Kyodo news agency reported that 700 flights overall have been cancelled as a result of the quake. Neither NRT or HND has reported serious damage.
Some flights en route to Tokyo at the time of the quake were diverted to airports in southern Japan such as Osaka Kansai, while others went to Seoul Inchon.
