Beijing transport authorities were expecting less air traffic on Thursday when the Chinese Spring Festival holiday was originally due to end, now that it has been extended as a result of the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.

The total number of flights at The Capital Airport has decreased by about 30%, and the number of flights in the Beijing region has decreased by about 25%, compared to the same period last year,  the North China Air Traffic Management Bureau said.

The number of flights at the new Daxing Airport and the Capital Airport has been on a downward trend, with an average daily reduction of about 10%. It is estimated that the travel peak will be postponed to February 2, the end of the extension period. There will be 1,500 flights at Beijing Capital International Airports and 290 at Daxing Airport.

In the meantime, Beijing has canceled all flights connecting the city with Wuhan and surrounding cities, including Yichang, Xiangyang and Shiyan.

According to airline statistics, flights heading to Beijing are mainly from southern cities in China. Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming, Chongqing, Sanya, Hangzhou, Xi'an and Harbin are the top 10 origin cities.

In Europe, British Airways has canceled all flights connecting Beijing. Finnair will suspend all flights to and from Beijing Daxing Airport from February 5 to March 29 and Deutsche Lufthansa announced on Thursday that it will cancel all flights in and out of China from January 30 to February 9.

In North America, Air Canada canceled some flights to and from Beijing and United Airlines will do the same starting in February.

Cathay Pacific, Dragonair and CI China airlines canceled some flights connecting Beijing as well.