Meteorological bureaus in Sichuan and Chongqing issued dual red and yellow high-temperature alerts on 22 July, warning that daytime peaks could exceed 40 ℃ over the next five days. Although the warnings focus on public-health precautions, sustained heat of this intensity has historically led to runway-length restrictions at Chengdu’s airports and speed limitations on high-speed rail in the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. Rail operator China Railway Chengdu Group has already announced additional summer services to redistribute passenger flows and manage potential delays, while airlines are advising travellers to allow extra time for check-in if baggage belts slow or if aircraft require load-shedding for take-off. Corporate mobility teams moving assignees into inland manufacturing hubs should verify whether apartment buildings have modern HVAC systems; during last year’s heatwave, local governments imposed staggered industrial power-cuts that forced some expatriates to work remotely from hotels with backup generators. Employers should also anticipate occupational-health inspections: revised Sichuan regulations require companies to provide "cool rooms" and schedule outdoor work before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. when red alerts are in place. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to RMB 50 000. Travellers transiting through Chengdu are advised to monitor airline SMS alerts; Cathay Pacific’s imminent switch back to Shuangliu Airport on 31 July (see separate story) could concentrate peak-hour traffic at older facilities more vulnerable to heat-related equipment failures.
