China Closes Airspace to Civil Flights for 40 Days: What's Happening?

China has closed its airspace to civil aviation for 40 days, effective until early May 2026 or Wednesday (6 May 2026). The closed airspace is estimated to cover 73,000 square kilometres.

The notice regarding this airspace closure was issued online by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday (27 March 2026), as reported by Hindustan Times on Saturday (11 April 2026).

“It could be for firing missiles, conducting air exercises, and so on. We don’t know,” said Blandin, quoted from the Times of India.

According to Blandin, this is the first time China has suddenly closed such a large geographical area for an extended period.

In line with Blandin, Xavier Tytelman, an aviation and defence consultant for Aviation NXT, also stated that the restrictions imposed by China are unusual.

This unusual aspect includes the size of the closed area and the duration of the closure.

In general, NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) is intended to inform pilots about extraordinary conditions affecting specific airspace.

Such notices are typically issued before military exercises or during extraordinary events, such as fires or volcanic eruptions.

The prohibition covers two zones in the Yellow Sea, between China and South Korea, as well as three other zones spanning the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, between China and its neighbour, Japan.

Tytelman explained that the airspace closure for civil aviation is limited to certain altitudes, allowing access for commercial aircraft.

The areas closed to civil flights are separated by an airspace corridor approximately 100 kilometres wide, which enables access to Shanghai from the Yellow Sea.

A senior Taiwanese security official assessed that China is implementing this policy to take advantage of the United States, which is distracted by the war alongside Israel against Iran.

He stated that China’s aim is to obstruct US allies in the region and weaken US military influence in the Indo-Pacific.

In agreement, Blandin also viewed this NOTAM as part of a series of ongoing access denials, as well as China’s efforts to control the land and sea borders of its neighbouring countries.