Flights Cancelled Swept Asia with 367 Cancellations and 2,322 Delays across Taoyuan, Shanghai, and 22 Others

Travellers across Asia are facing schedule disruptions, with 2,322 flight delays and 367 cancellations recorded. The heaviest operational bottlenecks are concentrated in Taiwan, China, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia, and Türkiye.
Two distinct crises are driving the bulk of the cancellations today: Super Typhoon Champi is threatening eastern China, Taiwan, and Japan, heavily impacting operations at Shanghai Pudong and Taipei Taoyuan, while escalating regional security concerns and cross-border drone and missile strikes by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have triggered severe flight cancellations across Saudi Arabia’s major gateways.
Taipei’s Taoyuan International recorded the highest volume of delayed flights, while Riyadh’s King Khaled International logged the highest number of outright cancellations. Among carriers, China Eastern and Saudia bore the brunt of the schedule cuts.

Worst-Hit Asian Airports

Taoyuan International, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, and Shanghai Pudong led Asia in flight delays, while Saudi hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah alongside Shanghai Pudong accounted for the heaviest cancellation volumes.

Beyond the 10 hubs listed above, varying levels of flight disruptions were also recorded across airports in three key markets:

• China: Beijing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Kunming, Fuzhou, Ningbo, and Zhoushan
• India: Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kochi, and Navi Mumbai
• Saudi Arabia: Dammam

Taoyuan International recorded a 52% arrival delay rate and a 48% departure delay rate. Soekarno-Hatta reported 21% for arrivals and 19% for departures. Pudong recorded 14% for arrivals and 12% for departures. King Abdulaziz International reported 29% for arrivals and 26% for departures, while Indira Gandhi International recorded 13% for arrivals and 15% for departures.

Airline Disruption Breakdown

China Eastern recorded the highest total volume of both delayed and cancelled flights, while Saudia experienced the steepest proportional disruption, cancelling 17% and delaying 22% of its scheduled operations.

Why Flights Are Cancelled: Super Typhoon Champi and Saudi Security Alerts

Unlike routine congestion, the current wave of cancellations across Asia is heavily tied to severe meteorological and geopolitical events:

• Super Typhoon Champi Threatens East Asia: Cancellations and rolling delays at Shanghai Pudong International, Shanghai Hongqiao, and Taoyuan International are being driven by Super Typhoon Champi. As the storm system tracks toward eastern China, Taiwan, and Japan, airlines have preemptively grounded flights and slowed arrival rates to maintain safety margins.
• Security Escalations in Saudi Arabia: Cancellations at Riyadh (77 cancellations), Jeddah (31 cancellations), and Dammam stem from escalating regional security concerns. Cross-border drone and missile strikes launched by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels targeting major airports and civilian infrastructure have forced airspace closures and sudden schedule suspensions across Saudi hubs.
• Cascading Network Bottlenecks: Across high-density markets in India and Indonesia, weather and airspace holds are compounded by air traffic management restrictions, crew duty-time limits, routine maintenance checks, and tight aircraft turnarounds. When an aircraft is grounded or delayed in Shanghai, Taipei, or Riyadh, knock-on disruptions cascade across subsequent routes scheduled for that airframe.

What Passengers Should Do When Flights Are Disrupted

If you are scheduled to fly through any of the 24 affected airports across Asia, take these steps before heading to the terminal:

• Verify live flight status: Check your airline’s official website or mobile app for real-time departure updates and cancellation notices before leaving for the airport.
• Monitor direct airline alerts: Review SMS messages, app notifications, and emails from your carrier for revised boarding times or rebooking instructions.
• Act quickly on cancellations: If your service is grounded, contact the airline immediately to secure rebooking on an alternative flight or request a refund.
• Check connecting itineraries: Confirm how a delay or cancellation affects onward segments, particularly if your journey involves separate tickets or international transfers.
• Review passenger rights and ticket terms: Check the compensation, refund, and duty-of-care policies applicable to your specific route and operating carrier.
• Retain all documentation: Save digital and physical copies of booking confirmations, cancellation notices, boarding passes, and itemised receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses.

Flight cancellations were also reported across Asia yesterday. Read our earlier coverage here.

The figures in this report were gathered and reviewed using real-time records dated October 24, 2026, at 1:46 pm ET (11:16 pm IST).

Primary source: FlightAware.

Verification Process: The editorial team examined and cross-checked the figures for accuracy. Timestamped records, flight-tracking logs and data-feed snapshots have been retained to support editorial transparency and provide a reference for verification.

Note: Flight-tracking figures may change as airspace conditions and airline operations evolve. Minor differences may arise when these figures are compared with later updates from individual airports or airlines.

Passengers are advised to check their flight status, monitor schedule changes and consult the latest operational announcements from their airlines before travelling.

Verified by Paramita Sarkar