China’s Flight-Canceling Smog Lifts as Pollution Levels Drop

Beijing’s pollution dropped from unhealthy levels as a cold front swept through the Chinese capital, allowing flights to resume after four days of smog that spurred criticism of the government’s environmental record.

Fog and snow forced the cancellation of almost 700 flights since Dec. 5, with 27 called off this afternoon, according to the Beijing Capital International Airport website. Pollution levels dropped below “unhealthy” for the first time since Dec. 3, according to data collected by a U.S. Embassy monitoring station.