Air Travel Hits Europe as KLM, Brussels Airlines, Finnair, and Pegasus Cancel 32 Flights and Delay 92 Across Amsterdam, Brussels, Helsinki, and Antalya, Leaving Passengers Stranded and Causing Major Disruptions

Published on November 23, 2025

In Amsterdam (AMS / EHAM), Brussels (BRU / EBBR), Helsinki (HEL / EFHK) and Antalya (AYT / LTAI), scores of scheduled flights have been cancelled across multiple airlines, leaving travellers bewildered and seeking answers. Human faces behind the booking numbers are now coping with disrupted journeys, abrupt change of plans and mounting frustration.

KLM Cancelled Flights:

Amsterdam’s Disruptions at a Glance

At the heart of the Netherlands, KLM has cancelled several departures from Amsterdam Schiphol, affecting regional and international routes. Among them: Amsterdam to Basle‑Mulhouse (EAP/LFSB), Zagreb (ZAG/LDZA), Bologna (BLQ/LIPE), Bristol (BRS/EGGD), Aberdeen (ABZ/EGPD), Düsseldorf (DUS/EDDL) and Geneva (GVA/LSGG). Inbound flights cancelled from destinations such as Prague (PRG/LKPR), Krakow (KRK/EPKK), Porto (OPO/LPPR), Basle‑Mulhouse, Gdansk (GDN/EGPD) and Manchester (MAN/EGCC) were also listed.
Such widespread scrapping of flights at Amsterdam adds to mounting frustration for travellers stranded far from home.
According to KLM’s own travel‑alerts page, the airline will “inform you via e‑mail or text message and rebook you automatically” when flights are disrupted. The legal framework governing passenger rights in Europe (notably EU Regulation 261/2004) sets out entitlements in cases of cancellation.
The surge in cancelled departures coincides with reported strike action among ground staff at Schiphol, raising questions about workforce and infrastructure stress.

Amsterdam’s Disruptions at a Glance

At the heart of the Netherlands, KLM has cancelled several departures from Amsterdam Schiphol, affecting regional and international routes. Among them: Amsterdam to Basle‑Mulhouse (EAP/LFSB), Zagreb (ZAG/LDZA), Bologna (BLQ/LIPE), Bristol (BRS/EGGD), Aberdeen (ABZ/EGPD), Düsseldorf (DUS/EDDL) and Geneva (GVA/LSGG). Inbound flights cancelled from destinations such as Prague (PRG/LKPR), Krakow (KRK/EPKK), Porto (OPO/LPPR), Basle‑Mulhouse, Gdansk (GDN/EGPD) and Manchester (MAN/EGCC) were also listed.
Such widespread scrapping of flights at Amsterdam adds to mounting frustration for travellers stranded far from home.
According to KLM’s own travel‑alerts page, the airline will “inform you via e‑mail or text message and rebook you automatically” when flights are disrupted. The legal framework governing passenger rights in Europe (notably EU Regulation 261/2004) sets out entitlements in cases of cancellation.
The surge in cancelled departures coincides with reported strike action among ground staff at Schiphol, raising questions about workforce and infrastructure stress.

Brussel Cancelled Airlines:

Helsinki & Vilnius: Finnair’s Sudden Drop‑outs

At the northern tip of Europe, Finnair has cancelled flights connecting Helsinki‑Vantaa (HEL/EFHK) with John F Kennedy (JFK) and Vilnius Int’l (VNO/EYVI). Scheduled departures such as FIN15 (HEL→JFK) and FIN1107 (HEL→VNO) are among those listed.
Finnair’s disruption page outlines how passengers will be informed and rerouted or refunded. While the airline’s site does not specify the cause of these specific cancellations, previous large‑scale disruptions have been triggered by labour actions.
For passengers making long‑haul connections or returning to the Finnish capital, the cancellations represent more than an inconvenience: they bring unwelcome omens of how quickly plans can unravel.

Antalya, Ankara, Krakow & Warsaw: Pegasus Cancellations

From Turkey’s sunny Mediterranean hub Pegasus Airlines has cancelled flights including Antalya→Krakow (PGT1502), Ankara→Warsaw (PGT1743), Krakow→Antalya (PGT1503) and Warsaw→Ankara (PGT1744).
The airline’s policy for cancellations describes free ticket re‑issue or conversion to an open ticket without penalty. Whether the listed cancellations stem from weather, technical issues or operational constraints isn’t made explicit, but the visibility of the disruptions online generates concern for travellers relying on those routes.

Pegasus Cancelled Airlines:

Finnair Cancelled Airlines

What This Means for Passengers

Across all four airports and carriers, the message is clear: if you were scheduled to fly any of the listed routes in the tables we compiled, check your booking status immediately.
Your rights under EU legislation generally include:

• A full refund or alternate flight in cases of cancellations.
• Compensation in certain situations (though “extraordinary circumstances”, such as strikes, may limit eligibility).
• Prompt notification from the airline about the change.
• Assistance (such as meals, accommodation) in long‑delay situations.

These rights apply only when the airline cancels the flight or makes changes—it’s less clear when cancellations come from externalities such as airport strikes. The timeline and nature of notifications may affect how smoothly you can claim your remedy.

What Happened & Why

While the tables list the specific cancelled flights, the broader causes are varied:

• Labour strikes and staffing issues (Amsterdam, Brussels, Helsinki)
• Operational and technical disruptions impacting route scheduling (Pegasus)
• Regulatory enforcement or capacity limits affecting Schiphol and other hubs

In Amsterdam’s case, airlines have flagged mass cancellations ahead of ground‑staff strikes. In Brussels, chaining of general strikes has resulted in entire departure blocks being scrubbed. Helsinki and Vilnius cancellations might tie into wider union action—Finnair previously cancelled around 140 flights in a single day over industrial action. And in Turkey/Poland, the cancellation pattern at Pegasus seems linked to internal scheduling or weather/unforeseen issues.

How Travellers Can Respond

• Confirm your flight status immediately via the airline’s official website or booking portal.
• Check your contact information is up‑to‑date so alerts reach you. (Finnair emphasises keeping your contact details current.)
• If your flight is cancelled, request a refund or alternate travel. Follow the carrier’s prescribed online refund/rebooking route.
• Document everything: screenshots of cancellation notices, communications from the airline, receipts for extra expenses incurred.
• Understand your rights: EU 261/2004 rights may apply. Strike cancellations may fall under “extraordinary circumstances”—in which case compensation may not apply, but refund or re‑routing still must.
• Explore travel insurance: many policies may cover additional expenses incurred during cancellations, especially when they stem from strikes, technical disruptions or weather events.

Looking Ahead

For the travel‑industry at large, these cascading cancellations underscore a few persistent vulnerabilities:

• Major hub airports (Amsterdam, Brussels) remain highly exposed to labour disputes, which ripple out globally.
• Long‑haul carriers like Finnair may face more systemic disruption despite smaller fleet than mega‑airlines.
• Budget and secondary carriers (Pegasus) serving niche international routes remain sensitive to weather, crew availability and schedule knock‑on effects.
  For travellers, the key takeaway is that the margin between ‘on schedule’ and ‘cancelled’ is narrowing. Flexibility, awareness and preparedness are no longer optional extras—they’re essential.

For a traveller setting out to see family in Helsinki, or to pick up a colleague in Brussels, or even to enjoy a getaway in Antalya, what started as excitement now suddenly turns into uncertainty. The sound of wheels up becomes the silence of a cancelled flight, the airport lounge becomes a waiting room, and the holiday mood tips into anxiety. Yet amidst the frustration, there remains agency: by checking, confirming and choosing how to respond, travellers regain a degree of control.
Let this moment serve as a reminder: in today’s travel landscape, the journey begins not on the plane, but in the booking, the check‑in, the alert message. Stay alert. Be ready. And when the skies shift, you’ll be grounded in confidence—not just in queue.

Source:Flightaware