Asia travel faces widespread disruption as 515 cancellations and 5,216 delays affect major airports, including Jakarta, Mumbai and more aviation hubs across the region. Severe weather, air traffic congestion, security concerns and operational challenges have complicated flight schedules, leaving thousands of passengers facing uncertainty. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector faces additional pressure from regional security threats and airline suspensions. Furthermore, heavy rainfall and poor visibility threaten flight operations in Thailand, China and parts of India. Indonesian forest-fire haze has also disrupted selected regional services, raising concerns about wider connectivity. Consequently, airlines must adjust schedules, manage aircraft movements and assist stranded travellers. However, authorities have not confirmed the precise reasons behind every disruption, making regular flight-status checks essential for passengers planning journeys.
Which Airports across Asia Are Experiencing the Most Flight Disruptions?
Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia recorded 317 delays and three cancellations, making it the busiest disruption point by delay count in the supplied figures. Shanghai Pudong International Airport followed with 298 delays and three cancellations.
Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport reported 253 delays and three cancellations, while Singapore Changi Airport registered 256 delays and three cancellations. Hong Kong International Airport experienced 150 delays and three cancellations.
In Indonesia, Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport recorded 206 delays and 22 cancellations. Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport reported 87 delays and three cancellations.
These figures indicate that delays are particularly widespread at major international gateways, although cancellation patterns differ substantially between destinations.
How Are India and China Affected?
India’s busiest aviation centres experienced considerable disruption. Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport recorded 213 delays and 11 cancellations, while Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport reported 206 delays and three cancellations.
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Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport registered 99 delays and eight cancellations. Ahmedabad reported 25 delays and five cancellations, while Kochi experienced 34 delays and three cancellations. Navi Mumbai recorded 18 delays and 10 cancellations.
China also experienced widespread disruption. Beijing Capital reported 243 delays and four cancellations, while Beijing Daxing registered 195 delays and five cancellations. Shenzhen Bao’an recorded 213 delays and three cancellations.
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Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport experienced 72 delays and 22 cancellations, highlighting a particularly high cancellation count compared with several larger Chinese airports.
| Airport | Origin cancellations % | Destination cancellations % |
|---|---|---|
| Abha Rgnl (AHB) | — | 10% |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Intl (AMD) | 1% | 2% |
| Queen Alia Intl (AMM) | 3% | 2% |
| Bahrain Intl (BAH) | 2% | 2% |
| Suvarnabhumi Intl (BKK) | — | 0% |
| Kempegowda Intl (BLR) | 1% | 1% |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Intl (BOM) | 1% | 1% |
| Soekarno-Hatta (CGK) | 2% | 1% |
| Chifeng (CIF) | 18% | — |
| Cochin Intl (COK) | 1% | — |
| Hazrat Shahjalal Intl (DAC) | — | 1% |
| Indira Gandhi Intl (DEL) | 0% | — |
| Zhoushuizi (DLC) | 5% | 5% |
| Dalaman Intl (DLM) | 2% | 3% |
| King Fahd Intl (DMM) | 8% | 8% |
| Hamad Intl (DOH) | — | 1% |
| Bali / I Gusti Ngurah Rai (DPS) | — | 0% |
| Dubai Intl (DXB) | 1% | 1% |
| Esenboga Intl (ESB) | 1% | — |
| Xinqiao (HFE) | — | 1% |
| Xiaoshan (HGH) | 0% | 0% |
| Hong Kong Intl (HKG) | 0% | — |
| Hailar (HLD) | — | 8% |
| Taiping (HRB) | 0% | 1% |
| Incheon Intl (ICN) | 0% | 0% |
| Islamabad Intl (ISB) | 4% | 5% |
| Istanbul (IST) | 0% | 0% |
| King Abdulaziz Intl (JED) | 6% | 6% |
| Changshui (KMG) | 0% | 0% |
| Kualanamu Intl (KNO) | — | 2% |
| Sepang/Kuala Lumpur Intl (KUL) | 0% | — |
| Chaudhary Charan Singh Intl (LKO) | 3% | 3% |
| Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Intl (MED) | 3% | 4% |
| Navi Mumbai Intl (NMI) | 6% | 9% |
| Narita Intl (NRT) | 1% | 0% |
| Mohe Gulian (OHE) | — | 42% |
| Capital (PEK) | — | 0% |
| Iskandar (PKN) | 37% | 44% |
| Daxing (PKX) | 0% | 0% |
| Tjilik Riwut (PKY) | 50% | 37% |
| Pudong (PVG) | 0% | — |
| King Khaled Intl (RUH) | 24% | 20% |
| Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) | 2% | 1% |
| Sharjah Intl (SHJ) | 1% | 1% |
| Changi (SIN) | 0% | — |
| Juanda (SUB) | 1% | 1% |
| Baoan (SZX) | 0% | — |
| Jiaodong (TAO) | 1% | 1% |
| Islam Karimov Intl (TAS) | — | 1% |
| Tianfu (TFU) | — | 0% |
| Ben Gurion (TLV) | 0% | — |
| Binhai (TSN) | 1% | 1% |
| Sultan Hasanuddin (UPG) | — | 1% |
| Tianhe (WUH) | 0% | 0% |
| Xianyang (XIY) | 1% | 0% |
| Caojiapu (XNN) | 2% | — |
| Penglai (YNT) | 5% | — |
Which Airlines of Asia Are Most Affected by Flight Delays and Cancellations?
China Eastern Airlines reported the highest airline delay count, with 335 delayed flights, representing 14%, alongside 24 cancellations, or 1%.
China Southern Airlines recorded 248 delays (10%) and five cancellations (reported as 0% after rounding). Air China experienced 198 delays (11%) and four cancellations (0%).
Among Indian carriers, Akasa Air reported 27 cancellations (11%) and 20 delays (8%). SpiceJet recorded 11 cancellations (11%) and 34 delays (34%), while Air India registered four cancellations (0%) and 98 delays (16%).
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Indonesia’s Batik Air reported 17 cancellations (5%) and 57 delays (19%). Citilink experienced 11 cancellations (4%) and 35 delays (13%), while Garuda Indonesia recorded three cancellations (1%) and 53 delays (21%).
Malaysia’s AirAsia reported two cancellations (0%) and 113 delays (23%). Malindo Air experienced one cancellation (0%) and 84 delays, representing a notably high 52% delay rate.
How Are West Asian Airlines and Airports Affected?
Saudi Arabia recorded some of the most substantial cancellation figures. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport reported 114 cancellations and no delays, while Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport experienced 52 cancellations and 137 delays.
Saudia recorded 87 cancellations (24%) and 68 delays (19%). Flynas reported 12 cancellations (4%) and 16 delays (5%).
Dubai International Airport registered 261 delays and 16 cancellations. Emirates recorded 172 delays (32%) and three cancellations (0%).
In Türkiye, Istanbul Airport experienced 264 delays and nine cancellations. Pegasus Airlines reported 189 delays (26%) and 18 cancellations (2%), while Turkish Airlines registered 258 delays (16%) and seven cancellations (0%).
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What Should Affected Passengers over Asia Do Now?
- Passengers travelling through affected airports in Asia should check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport. They should also monitor official airport departure boards and airline notifications for last-minute schedule changes.
- Travellers facing cancellations should contact their airline to request available rebooking or refund options, subject to ticket conditions and applicable passenger rights.
- Those with connecting flights should confirm whether their onward journeys remain protected under the same booking. International passengers should also review visa requirements before accepting alternative routes.
- Travellers should retain boarding passes, booking confirmations and receipts for additional expenses, particularly when seeking reimbursement or travel insurance compensation.
Data Verification Notice
The flight disruption data presented in this report has been carefully compiled and verified by our editorial team using real-time aviation statistics recorded on 17 October 2026 at 3:53 pm ET (USA), corresponding to 18 October 2026 at 1:24 am IST (India).
Primary Sources: FlightAware and local correspondent.
Editorial Verification Process: All reported figures have undergone independent review and cross-verification by our human editorial team. Timestamped flight records, operational data logs and real-time tracking snapshots have been securely archived to maintain historical accuracy, factual reliability and editorial transparency.
Important Disclaimer: Flight-tracking statistics represent operational conditions at the time of data collection. As airline schedules, flight statuses and airport operations change continuously, minor differences may arise between the published figures and subsequent updates from airlines, airport terminals or departure gates.
For more insights into flight delays, cancellations and their impact on travellers, explore our previous reports on aviation disruptions across Asia. Read our detailed coverage here.
Verified by Paramita Sarkar
