SAPPORO - New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido was effectively cut off by record snowfall, leaving around 7,000 people stranded overnight after rail and bus services were suspended, severing key transport links and disrupting daily life.
Footage taken at around 8 p.m. on January 25th showed crowds filling the area leading down from the arrivals lobby to the JR New Chitose Airport Station, with many unable to move as the congestion worsened. JR services were heavily affected by the extreme weather, with 140 Rapid Airport trains canceled that day, while highway buses bound for Sapporo were also suspended from the first departure.
Despite the disruption on the ground, flights continued to arrive one after another, with only some cancellations and delays, causing the number of stranded passengers to grow rapidly as people lost all means of leaving the airport.
"I’m exhausted. I waited six hours but it didn’t move at all. I might not be able to go to the Niseko ski resort if the buses aren’t running," one traveler said. Another described the situation as unusually harsh, adding, "It’s terrible this year. It’s cold, and there are so many people. I feel sorry for the children."
By the morning of January 26th, aerial footage showed rail tracks completely buried under snow as clearing work continued. Cancellations remained widespread, with 94 Rapid Airport services called off that day as well.
At the airport, long lines formed for taxis, with an announcer reporting that more than 100 people were waiting by around 2 p.m. Although Rapid Airport trains gradually resumed operations from around 1:30 p.m., the timetable had not returned to normal. A temporary bus service was introduced from New Chitose to Oyachi Station on the Sapporo subway network, but many were unable to board.
"Both trains and buses were canceled the whole time, so we had to switch to a taxi at the last minute. It’s tough. My legs are completely swollen," one person waiting in line said.
Inside the airport, convenience stores also saw lengthy queues as passengers stocked up on food and bought hand warmers and socks to cope with the cold.
The transport disruption extended beyond the airport, with JR Hokkaido Bus suspending services across the Sapporo area for the entire day. Chuo Bus services in central Sapporo were canceled or rerouted, while some Jotetsu Bus routes were delayed by up to around two hours.
While congestion at the airport gradually eased, crowds continued to gather at counters handling reservation changes, where one line stretched so far that the counter could only be seen some 70 meters ahead. Some passengers said they had waited as long as four hours, with one traveler smiling as they described the struggle to secure an available seat and departure time, even as fatigue and stress were evident.
Many travelers were also still struggling to leave the airport, with taxi queues having swelled to more than 300 people the previous night before easing to around 30 to 40 by later on January 26th. Stranded passengers said the disruption had cut into sightseeing and time at home, while also increasing costs.
Even as conditions improved, some people said they were preparing for the possibility of spending another night at the airport, sitting on the floor or lying down on sofas while waiting for flights, hoping the situation would be resolved as quickly as possible.
Source: 北海道ニュースUHB
