Japan: Kansai Airport (KIX) main terminal remains closed until at least Sep. 14 /update 9

Event

Kansai Airports, the operating company for Kansai International Airport (KIX) near Osaka, announced it aims to partially reopen Terminal 1 by Friday, September 14, as relief and repair work continues. Some domestic flights have resumed at Terminal 2 and nearby Osaka International Airport ITM), also known as Itami Airport, and Kobe Airport (UKB) will begin accepting up to 40 and 30 daily flights, respectively. Three of six basement electric rooms remain flooded at KIX as of Tuesday, September 11, and repair work on the damaged access bridge is continuing. Rail operations are expected to resume to KIX by the end of September, according to Kansai Airports. There is currently no anticipated timeline for when full domestic and international flight service will resume.

Context

KIX was closed from damage sustained from Typhoon Jebi on September 4. Storm surge and rain resulted in the flooding of the main runway, the basement of Terminal 1, and several service buildings. The storm also pushed an empty oil tanker into the access causeway that connects the airport to the mainland, causing damage to the bridge and stranding thousands of passengers. The bridge remains closed to train and private traffic, though shuttle buses to train stations on the mainland are using undamaged lanes.

Typhoon Jebi made landfall east of Kobe, resulting in the deaths of 14 people and injuring more than 740 others across 29 prefectures. Nearly 5000 homes were damaged from the storm, which was the largest typhoon the country has seen since 1993.

Advice

Individuals traveling via KIX in the near-term are advised to monitor developments to the situation, verify the status of their flights, and allow for additional transit time to and from the airport.