Published on
March 9, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Thousands of passengers left stranded in Asia today as flight disruptions intensified across Thailand, Malaysia, China, India, Türkiye, Sri Lanka, Qatar, UAE, And Philippines, with over 2,900 flight cancellations and delays recorded across major airports: Hamad International Airport (534 cancellations, 6 delays) in Doha, Dubai International Airport (187 cancellations, 238 delays), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (39 cancellations, 261 delays) in Mumbai, Indira Gandhi International Airport (28 cancellations, 347 delays) in Delhi, Kempegowda International Airport (15 cancellations, 83 delays) in Bengaluru, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (14 cancellations, 50 delays) in Hyderabad, Chennai International Airport (12 cancellations, 47 delays), Suvarnabhumi Airport (19 cancellations, 210 delays) in Bangkok, Bandaranaike International Airport (17 cancellations, 35 delays) in Colombo, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (7 cancellations, 362 delays), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (8 cancellations, 77 delays) in Manila, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (11 cancellations, 193 delays), Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (4 cancellations, 64 delays), and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (25 cancellations, 70 delays).
The most affected airlines included Qatar Airways (534 cancellations, multiple additional cancellations across regional hubs), AirAsia (168 delays), Air India (163 delays), Emirates (121 delays), IndiGo (103 delays, 24 cancellations), China Eastern (67 delays), Malaysia Airlines (69 delays, 4 cancellations), and FlyDubai (83 cancellations, 98 delays). Other widely recognized carriers such as Thai Airways, Cebu Pacific Air, SriLankan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Air India Express, and Bangkok Airways also experienced operational delays during the day.
These disruptions stretched across multiple regions and aviation hubs in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, India, Türkiye, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Philippines, and China.
- Updated Today: Asia and Middle East airports recorded 2,043 delays and 920 cancellations across 14 major international hubs.
- Hamad International Airport in Doha reported the largest cancellation count, with 534 flights cancelled.
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport experienced the highest number of delays, totaling 362 delayed flights.
- Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi recorded 347 delays, making it one of the busiest disruption centers in India today.
- Dubai International Airport saw 187 cancellations and 238 delays, affecting both regional and long-haul routes.
- Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport logged 210 delays, with Thai Airways and Thai VietJet Air among airlines impacted.
- Shanghai Pudong Airport reported 193 delays, mainly linked to Chinese carriers such as China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines.
- Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport experienced 261 delays and 39 cancellations.
- Regional carriers including AirAsia, IndiGo, and Cebu Pacific Air reported large volumes of delays across multiple hubs.
Most Affected Asian Airports
Hamad International Airport
The Doha hub recorded the largest disruption volume for cancellations, with 534 flights cancelled and 6 delayed, primarily affecting operations by Qatar Airways.
Dubai International Airport
Dubai’s main airport faced 187 cancellations and 238 delays, with FlyDubai and Emirates accounting for a large share of the operational disruptions.
Indira Gandhi International Airport
Delhi recorded 347 delays and 28 cancellations, with Air India and IndiGo handling a significant portion of delayed departures.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
Mumbai saw 261 delays and 39 cancellations, affecting flights operated by IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Malaysia’s primary gateway experienced 362 delays and 7 cancellations, with AirAsia responsible for a substantial share of the delayed departures.
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Suvarnabhumi Airport
Bangkok’s international airport logged 210 delays and 19 cancellations, with Thai Airways and Thai VietJet Air among the most impacted airlines.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Shanghai’s busiest international hub recorded 193 delays and 11 cancellations, with China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines contributing to the majority of disruptions.
Kempegowda International Airport
Bengaluru reported 83 delays and 15 cancellations, including delays involving Air India Express and Air India.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Manila registered 77 delays and 8 cancellations, with Cebu Pacific Air accounting for a large portion of delayed flights.
Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays
Qatar Airways
The airline experienced the largest cancellation impact across the region, including 489 cancellations in Doha alone and additional cancellations at several other airports.
AirAsia
AirAsia recorded 168 delays at Kuala Lumpur, representing one of the highest airline-specific delay counts of the day.
Air India
Air India logged 163 delays at Delhi and additional delays across several Indian airports.
Emirates
Emirates faced 121 delays in Dubai along with smaller disruptions at other airports in the region.
IndiGo
India’s largest airline recorded 103 delays and 24 cancellations in Mumbai, alongside disruptions at Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
FlyDubai
FlyDubai reported 83 cancellations and 98 delays in Dubai, making it one of the most affected carriers at the airport.
China Eastern
China Eastern experienced 67 delays in Shanghai, contributing to the airport’s high delay count.
Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines reported 69 delays and 4 cancellations in Kuala Lumpur, affecting domestic and international routes.
What Can Impacted Travellers Do?
- Check airline notifications and airport departure boards regularly for updated flight information.
- Contact the airline directly for rebooking options if a flight is cancelled.
- Allow additional travel time when heading to the airport during disruption periods.
- Keep digital copies of boarding passes and travel documents easily accessible.
- Monitor airline apps or SMS alerts for gate changes or schedule updates.
- If a connection is involved, speak with airline staff about alternate routing.
Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations
Flight disruptions today affected a wide network of routes connecting Doha, Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangkok, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Istanbul. The largest cancellation spike occurred in Doha at Hamad International Airport, while the highest delay totals were reported in Kuala Lumpur, Delhi, and Dubai.
Major international airlines including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Air India, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, and China Eastern saw varying levels of disruption across these airports. Regional carriers such as IndiGo, Cebu Pacific Air, SriLankan Airlines, Thai Airways, and Shanghai Airlines also faced operational delays.
Cities including Doha, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai, and Manila repeatedly appeared among the most affected aviation hubs during the day. These disruptions were distributed across multiple countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, Türkiye, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines, and China, highlighting how operational challenges in several large aviation markets can ripple across interconnected regional networks.
Across the region, airlines including Qatar Airways, AirAsia, Emirates, Air India, Malaysia Airlines, and China Eastern accounted for large portions of delayed or cancelled flights, while airports such as Dubai International Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport handled significant volumes of disrupted departures.
With 2,043 delays and 920 cancellations across 14 airports, the disruption illustrates the scale at which aviation networks across Asia and the Middle East can be affected when multiple major hubs experience operational pressure simultaneously.
Source: Different airports and FlightAware
