A China Southern Airlines plane was struck by lightning at its departure location on Saturday, with approximately 20 lightning strike points found on the underside of the aircraft, its wings, and elevators.
According to the WeChat public account "First Scene," under Shenzhen Media Group, a Shenzhen netizen posted platform messages that the Shenzhen-to-Wuxi flight they were taking was struck by lightning while taxiing for takeoff. The flight was delayed for three hours, after which passengers were directed back to the terminal building and provided with instant noodles, Eight Treasure Congee, and bottled water. They were then asked to wait for a replacement aircraft for their journey.
A China Southern Airlines staff member told a First Scene reporter that flight CZ3209 from Shenzhen to Wuxi was originally scheduled to depart from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport that day. However, during taxiing at Shenzhen airport, the plane was suspected to have been struck by lightning and subsequently returned for inspection. After inspection by maintenance personnel, about 20 lightning strike points were confirmed on the aircraft's underside and wing elevators.
According to reports, China Southern Airlines immediately replaced the aircraft with a same-model CZ6630 plane, preventing a major flight delay. Additional maintenance personnel were assigned to inspect the aircraft's circuitry and repair the lightning strike areas. The affected aircraft has completed its repairs and was back in normal service on Sunday (the 9th).
According to global flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the affected flight was originally scheduled to depart Shenzhen at 4:30 p.m. on August 8 and arrive in Wuxi at 6:55 p.m. The aircraft eventually took off at 8:40 p.m. and arrived at the destination at 10:48 p.m.
As for passenger concerns about the impact of lightning strikes on the interior of the aircraft, the maintenance department explained that aircraft exteriors are made of conductive aluminum alloy. When struck by lightning, electricity flows along the outer surface of the fuselage and does not enter the cabin. Commercial aircraft must pass lightning strike test flights before leaving the factory, and all onboard critical equipment is designed with lightning protection and shielding. Therefore, even if struck by lightning, the result is usually only minor scorching of the fuselage. The main risks for flights are from turbulent weather such as thunderstorms, wind, and hail, rather than lightning itself.