Thousands Of Passengers Suffer In Asia As Thailand, China, India, Türkiye, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, And UAE Cancel 1,222 And Delay 2,124 Flights, Grounding Air India, Emirates, Air China, Batik Air, Pegasus, And Others In Dubai, Kolkata, Bangkok, Beijing, And More

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Thousands of travellers were grounded in Asia today as a widespread wave of operational disruption impacted Thailand, China, India, Türkiye, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and UAE, with over 3,300 flight cancellations and delays across Dubai International Airport (Dubai – 632 cancellations, 185 delays), Abu Dhabi International Airport (Abu Dhabi – 256 cancellations, 35 delays), Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi – 43 cancellations, 206 delays), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai – 55 cancellations, 234 delays), Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru – 23 cancellations, 60 delays), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (Kolkata – 7 cancellations, 42 delays), Chennai International Airport (Chennai – 19 cancellations, 37 delays), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad – 19 cancellations, 61 delays), Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (Jakarta – 22 cancellations, 180 delays), Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (Makassar – 6 cancellations, 77 delays), Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok – 30 cancellations, 263 delays), Phuket International Airport (Phuket – 16 cancellations, 85 delays), Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai – 14 cancellations, 265 delays), Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing – 20 cancellations, 324 delays), Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (Istanbul – 26 cancellations, 46 delays), and Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo – 34 cancellations, 24 delays).
Airlines facing the most significant operational disruption included Emirates (329 cancellations, 86 delays), FlyDubai (199 cancellations, 94 delays), IndiGo (90 cancellations, 217 delays), Air India (29 cancellations, 143 delays), Pegasus Airlines (23 cancellations, 27 delays), Air China (12 cancellations, 203 delays), and China Eastern (5 cancellations, 100 delays). Other major carriers that also recorded operational disruption included Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, SpiceJet, Garuda Indonesia, Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Lion Air, and SriLankan Airlines.
The disruption spread across several countries including UAE, India, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Türkiye, and Sri Lanka.

• Updated Today: 3,346 total flights disrupted across 16 airports with 2,124 delays and 1,222 cancellations reported.
• Dubai International Airport recorded the largest number of cancellations, with 632 flights cancelled and 185 delayed.
• Abu Dhabi International Airport followed with 256 cancellations, marking the second-highest cancellation count in the dataset.
• Beijing Capital International Airport reported the highest number of delays, with 324 flights delayed.
• Shanghai Pudong Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport also experienced heavy delays, reporting 265 and 263 delays respectively.
• Indian metro airports including Delhi and Mumbai recorded large delay totals, reflecting congestion rather than widespread cancellations.
• Major international airlines including Emirates, IndiGo, Air India, Pegasus Airlines, and Air China were among the most affected carriers.

Most Affected Asian Airports

Dubai International Airport

Dubai recorded the largest operational disruption, with 632 flight cancellations and 185 delays, impacting carriers such as Emirates, FlyDubai, IndiGo, Air India, and Saudia.

Abu Dhabi International Airport

Abu Dhabi experienced 256 cancellations and 35 delays, with Etihad Airways and IndiGo among the carriers facing the largest disruption.

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital saw 324 delays and 20 cancellations, with Air China accounting for the majority of delayed flights.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Shanghai Pudong reported 265 delays and 14 cancellations, affecting major Chinese carriers including China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Bangkok’s primary airport experienced 263 delays and 30 cancellations, with Thai Airways, Thai Vietjet Air, and Bangkok Airways seeing operational slowdowns.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai

Mumbai reported 234 delays and 55 cancellations, impacting IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet flights.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

Delhi saw 206 delays and 43 cancellations, with IndiGo and Air India recording the highest disruption levels.

Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Jakarta

Jakarta recorded 180 delays and 22 cancellations, affecting Batik Air, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Indonesia AirAsia.

Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays

Emirates

Emirates experienced 329 cancellations and 86 delays, with disruptions reported across multiple airports including Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket, and Shanghai.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai faced 199 cancellations and 94 delays, making it one of the carriers with the highest cancellation totals in the dataset.

IndiGo

India’s largest airline recorded 90 cancellations and 217 delays, largely across major Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

Air India

Air India experienced 29 cancellations and 143 delays, reflecting operational disruptions across several Indian hubs.

Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus Airlines reported 23 cancellations and 27 delays, mainly affecting flights at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

Air China

Air China recorded 12 cancellations and 203 delays, the majority occurring at Beijing Capital International Airport.

China Eastern

China Eastern experienced 5 cancellations and 100 delays, primarily at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Batik Air

Batik Air recorded 15 cancellations and 50 delays, affecting operations across Indonesian airports.

What Can Affected Passengers Do?

• Check airline notifications and airport websites for updated departure information.
• Contact the airline directly for rebooking or alternate flight options.
• Arrive early at airports as schedules may continue to change.
• Monitor airline mobile apps for real-time boarding and gate updates.
• Keep travel documents and booking references easily accessible.
• Review airline policies regarding rebooking or refunds if flights are cancelled.

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations

The disruption recorded today highlights widespread operational challenges across several major aviation hubs. Emirates, IndiGo, Air India, Pegasus Airlines, Air China, China Eastern, and FlyDubai were among the airlines reporting the highest levels of disruption, with hundreds of flights either cancelled or delayed.

Airports across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jakarta, Makassar, Bangkok, Phuket, Shanghai, Beijing, Istanbul, and Colombo all experienced operational disruption. The most severe cancellation totals occurred at Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport, while delay-heavy operations were reported at Beijing Capital Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, and Mumbai Airport.

Across India, airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata primarily recorded delays rather than cancellations. Meanwhile, Jakarta and Makassar in Indonesia, as well as Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, also experienced delay-heavy operational slowdowns.

The disruption spanned several countries including the United Arab Emirates, India, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Türkiye, and Sri Lanka, highlighting the scale of operational challenges affecting regional aviation networks today.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware