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Thousands of travellers grounded across Asia today as widespread wave of disruption hit major aviation hubs in Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, UAE, and Qatar, with 506 cancellations and 2,250 delays recorded across key airports.
Airports impacted include Hamad International Airport (286 cancellations, 14 delays) in Doha, Dubai International Airport (137 cancellations, 154 delays) in Dubai, Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok (8 cancellations, 281 delays) in Bangkok, Phuket International Airport (3 cancellations, 83 delays) in Phuket, Tokyo Haneda Airport (2 cancellations, 178 delays) in Tokyo, Narita International Airport (2 cancellations, 107 delays) in Tokyo, Beijing Capital International Airport (5 cancellations, 120 delays) in Beijing, Shanghai Pudong International Airport (5 cancellations, 318 delays) in Shanghai, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (22 cancellations, 251 delays) in Mumbai, Indira Gandhi International Airport (22 cancellations, 339 delays) in Delhi, Hong Kong International Airport (6 cancellations, 212 delays) in Hong Kong, and Singapore Changi Airport (8 cancellations, 193 delays) in Singapore.
The most affected airlines include Qatar Airways (257 cancellations, 14 delays), Emirates (40 cancellations, 114 delays), IndiGo (16 cancellations, 194 delays), Air India (9 cancellations, 190 delays), and China Eastern (2 cancellations, 65 delays). Other major carriers facing operational strain include Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways, all reporting significant delay volumes.
Cities affected include Doha, Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hong Kong, and Singapore, spanning countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Hong Kong (China), and Singapore.

• Updated today: A total of 506 cancellations and 2,250 delays were recorded across major Asian aviation hubs
• Doha (Hamad) saw the highest cancellations, with 286 flights cancelled
• Delhi and Shanghai led delay volumes with 339 and 318 delays respectively
• Qatar Airways recorded the highest cancellations (257), dominating disruption at Doha
• Emirates and IndiGo were major contributors to delays across multiple hubs
• Southeast and East Asian airports showed delay-heavy patterns with minimal cancellations
• Indian metro hubs (Delhi and Mumbai) recorded both high delays and moderate cancellations
• Most disruptions were regional and congestion-driven rather than full operational shutdowns

Most Affected Asian Airports

Hamad International Airport (Doha)

Hamad International Airport experienced the most severe disruption in terms of cancellations, with 286 flights cancelled and only 14 delays, indicating a sharp operational breakdown rather than gradual congestion.

Dubai International Airport (Dubai)

Dubai recorded a mixed disruption profile, with 137 cancellations and 154 delays, reflecting both operational strain and network congestion affecting major carriers.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok)

Bangkok saw 281 delays and just 8 cancellations, making it one of the most delay-heavy hubs, driven largely by regional airline congestion.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Shanghai)

Shanghai recorded 318 delays and 5 cancellations, one of the highest delay totals globally, dominated by domestic Chinese carriers.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)

Delhi emerged as the most delay-affected airport overall, with 339 delays and 22 cancellations, reflecting heavy congestion at one of Asia’s busiest hubs.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Mumbai)

Mumbai saw 251 delays and 22 cancellations, showing a similar pattern to Delhi but with slightly lower delay intensity.

Hong Kong International Airport (Hong Kong)

Hong Kong recorded 212 delays and 6 cancellations, with strong contribution from its hub carrier and regional airlines.

Singapore Changi Airport (Singapore)

Singapore experienced 193 delays and 8 cancellations, with low-cost and full-service carriers both contributing to disruption.

Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways was the most impacted airline in terms of cancellations, recording 257 cancellations and 14 delays, largely concentrated at Doha.

Emirates

Emirates faced a balanced disruption profile, with 40 cancellations and 114 delays, making it a major contributor across multiple hubs.

IndiGo

IndiGo recorded 16 cancellations and 194 delays, making it one of the most delay-affected carriers, particularly in Indian airports.

Air India

Air India saw 9 cancellations and 190 delays, with significant operational strain across Delhi and Mumbai.

China Eastern Airlines

China Eastern contributed heavily to delays with 65 delays and 2 cancellations, particularly at Shanghai.

Thai Airways

Thai Airways recorded high delay volumes across Thailand, including 76 delays in Bangkok, contributing to regional congestion.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific saw 83 delays at Hong Kong, dominating delay figures at its home hub.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines recorded 34 delays, contributing to disruption at Changi alongside its low-cost subsidiary Scoot.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Check flight status regularly through airline apps or official airport websites
• Arrive early at the airport to account for delays and operational uncertainty
• Stay in contact with airlines for rebooking or compensation options
• Keep essential items and documents easily accessible in carry-on baggage
• Monitor weather and airport advisories for real-time updates
• Consider alternative routes or flexible travel plans where possible

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations

Today’s disruption across Asia highlights a clear divide between cancellation-heavy hubs like Doha and delay-dominated hubs such as Delhi, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Tokyo. Major airlines including Qatar Airways, Emirates, IndiGo, Air India, China Eastern, and Cathay Pacific were central to the disruption landscape.

Airports in Doha, Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hong Kong, and Singapore repeatedly emerged as key pressure points, with delays significantly outweighing cancellations in most regions except the Middle East.

Countries impacted include Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong, reflecting a broad regional spread of disruption across Asia’s busiest aviation corridors. The repeated appearance of hubs such as Delhi, Shanghai, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Hong Kong underscores a pattern of high traffic congestion rather than systemic shutdowns, shaping today’s aviation disruption profile.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware

Original article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/