Flights Cancelled Swept Asia As 234 Cancellations And 2,129 Delays Disrupt Travel Across Shanghai, Riyadh, and Other Airports

Written By: Ryan Rashid

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September 10, 2026 03:15 GMT+5:30

Hundreds of air travelers across Asia are experiencing flight disruptions, with 2,129 delays and 234 cancellations recorded across airports in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The heaviest disruptions were seen at Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Chengdu Shuangliu, Dubai, and King Abdulaziz.
Airlines including Air China, China Eastern, Batik Air, and Saudia are among the most impacted today.

Airports Recording the Highest Passenger Disruption

Shanghai Pudong

Shanghai Pudong recorded 289 delays and 17 cancellations, making it the airport with the highest number of delays. Nine delays involved flights within, into, or out of the United States. For origin flights, the delay rate was 16%, while destination flights recorded a 1% cancellation rate and an 18% delay rate.

Guangzhou Baiyun

Travelers using Guangzhou Baiyun faced 251 delays and 14 cancellations. No delays involving flights within, into, or out of the United States were recorded. For origin flights, the delay rate was 15%, while destination flights recorded a 16% delay rate.

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta recorded 253 delays and 22 cancellations. The airport had no delays involving flights within, into, or out of the United States. For origin flights, the cancellation rate was 2% and the delay rate was 20%, while destination flights recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 22% delay rate.

Dubai

At Dubai, 231 flights were delayed and 10 were cancelled. Seven delays involved flights within, into, or out of the United States. For origin flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 24%, while destination flights recorded an 18% delay rate.

King Abdulaziz

King Abdulaziz recorded 142 delays and 11 cancellations. One delay involved a flight within, into, or out of the United States. For origin flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 16%, while destination flights recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 17% delay rate.

Abu Dhabi

Travelers at Abu Dhabi saw 129 delays and two cancellations. Five delays involved flights within, into, or out of the United States.

Chengdu Tianfu

Chengdu Tianfu recorded 88 delays and 17 cancellations, adding to the flight disruption affecting travelers in China. For origin flights, the cancellation rate was 1% and the delay rate was 8%, while destination flights recorded a 1% cancellation rate and a 9% delay rate.

Airlines Recording Notable Delays And Cancellations

Air China

Air China recorded 40 cancelled flights and 114 delayed flights. Its cancellation rate was 2%, while 6% of flights were delayed.

China Eastern

China Eastern recorded 39 cancellations and 323 delays. Its cancellation rate stood at 1%, while its delay rate was 13%.

Batik Air

Batik Air recorded 28 cancellations and 70 delays. The airline had an 8% cancellation rate and a 21% delay rate.

Saudia

Saudia recorded 23 cancellations and 72 delays. Its cancellation rate was 4%, while its delay rate reached 13%.

Steps Passengers Can Take When Flights Are Cancelled

• Check the airline’s official website or app for the latest flight status.
• Contact the airline to ask about rebooking or available alternatives.
• Review the airline’s cancellation and refund policies.
• Arrive at the airport according to the latest instructions from the carrier.
• Keep boarding passes, booking confirmations, and receipts accessible.
• Check connecting-flight arrangements if the cancelled service is part of a longer itinerary.
• Allow additional time for check-in, security, transfers, or rebooking.

Operational Factors Behind Flight Cancellations Across Asia

Flight cancellations can occur because of several operational factors. These may include aircraft availability, crew scheduling, airport capacity, air traffic management, weather conditions, maintenance requirements, and changes to flight rotations.

When one flight is delayed or cancelled, subsequent services using the same aircraft or crew can also be affected. Busy hubs can therefore see schedule changes continue through different parts of the day.

The Wider Picture For Asia Flight Cancellations And Delays

Flight operations across Asia continue to reflect different levels of disruption between individual airports. Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, and Chengdu Tianfu recorded notable figures in China, while Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta saw 253 delays and 22 cancellations in Indonesia.

In Thailand, Bangkok recorded 139 delays and two cancellations. In Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz registered 142 delays and 11 cancellations, while King Khalid recorded 105 delays and 15 cancellations. Gizan recorded no delays but eight cancellations.

The figures also show notable activity in the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai recording 231 delays and 10 cancellations and Abu Dhabi registering 129 delays and two cancellations.

Among the airlines, China Eastern recorded the largest number of delays at 323, followed by Air China with 114. Batik Air recorded 70 delays, while Saudia recorded 72. Their cancellation figures were 39, 40, 28, and 23 respectively.

Travelers flying through major hubs in Asia should therefore check their flight status before departure and remain aware that schedules can change as airlines and airports manage their daily operations.

Yesterday also saw significant flight cancellations. Read our earlier coverage here.

The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 9 September 2026 at 5:13 pm ET USA (2:43 am IST)

Primary Source: FlightAware.

Verification Protocol: All statistics have been independently reviewed and cross-checked by our human editorial desk. Timestamped records, data logs and feed snapshots are securely archived internally to support historical accuracy and editorial transparency.

Note: Real-time flight-tracking figures reflect active airspace and operational data. Minor variations may occur when compared with information displayed at individual airport terminals or airline departure gates.

Travelers are advised to check directly with their respective airlines and airports for the latest flight status, schedule changes and operational updates.

Verified by Rana Pratap