Flights Cancelled Across Asia Today As Thailand, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, And China Delay 2,463 And Cancel 174 Flights, Disrupting Emirates, Singapore, AirAsia, Asiana, And Others In Seoul, Bangkok, Dubai, And More

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Thousands of travellers left grounded across Asia today as massive flight disruptions struck Thailand, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and China, recording 2,463 flight delays and 174 cancellations across Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia (160 delays, 13 cancellations), Beijing Capital International Airport, China (140 delays, 16 cancellations), Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok, Thailand (125 delays, 1 cancellation), Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore (124 delays, 1 cancellation), Dubai International Airport, UAE (122 delays, 2 cancellations), Incheon International Airport, South Korea (78 delays), Kunming Changshui International Airport, China (116 delays, 12 cancellations), Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, China (95 delays, 19 cancellations), Haikou Meilan International Airport, China (92 delays, 6 cancellations), Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, China (269 delays, 18 cancellations), Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China (238 delays, 10 cancellations), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China (231 delays, 18 cancellations), Beijing Daxing International Airport, China (182 delays, 11 cancellations), Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, China (170 delays, 6 cancellations), Zhuhai International Airport, China (76 delays, 9 cancellations), Penang International Airport, Malaysia (37 delays, 4 cancellations), Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport, China (30 delays, 8 cancellations), Sharjah International Airport, UAE (20 delays, 4 cancellations), Hohhot Baita International Airport, China (20 delays, 5 cancellations), Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, China (136 delays, 8 cancellations), and Sultan Mahmud International Airport, Malaysia (2 delays, 3 cancellations).
The most affected airlines included China Eastern (380 delays, 28 cancellations), Hainan Airlines (79 delays, 34 cancellations), China Express Airlines (74 delays, 18 cancellations), Emirates (66 delays), Malaysia Airlines (55 delays), AirAsia (47 delays, 20 cancellations), Thai Vietjet Air (37 delays, 1 cancellation), Singapore Airlines (35 delays), and FlyDubai (22 delays, 2 cancellations). Other major carriers facing operational issues included Asiana, Korean Air, Scoot, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, Air Arabia, Jetstar, IndiGo, Vietnam Airlines, and Bangkok Airways.
Countries affected included China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, and the UAE.

• Updated Today: Asian and Gulf-region airports collectively recorded 2,463 delays and 174 cancellations.
• China Eastern reported the highest delay total with 380 delayed flights.
• Hainan Airlines recorded the highest cancellation count with 34 cancelled flights.
• AirAsia emerged as Southeast Asia’s most disrupted carrier with 47 delays and 20 cancellations.
• Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport registered the highest airport delay total with 269 delayed flights.
• Guangzhou Baiyun and Shenzhen Bao’an each recorded 18 cancellations.
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport reported 160 delays and 13 cancellations.
• Singapore Changi Airport experienced 124 delays and 1 cancellation.
• Dubai International Airport logged 122 delays and 2 cancellations.
• Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok reported 125 delays, with Thai Vietjet Air facing the biggest operational strain there.
• Emirates alone accounted for 66 delayed flights at Dubai International Airport.
• Airports across China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and the UAE were impacted.

Most Affected Asian Airports Today

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Shenzhen

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport recorded the highest delay total in the dataset with 269 delayed flights and 18 cancellations.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai

Shanghai Pudong faced major operational strain with 238 delays and 10 cancellations. Chinese carriers continued to dominate the disruption figures across eastern China.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur International Airport reported 160 delays and 13 cancellations, with AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, and FIREFLY among the carriers most affected.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

Bangkok’s main international gateway registered 125 delays and 1 cancellation. Thai Vietjet Air, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines were among the airlines facing operational issues.

Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

Singapore Changi Airport saw 124 delays and 1 cancellation. Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Cathay Pacific, Jetstar, and XiamenAir experienced notable disruption activity.

Dubai International Airport, Dubai

Dubai International Airport recorded 122 delays and 2 cancellations. Emirates and FlyDubai handled the bulk of the disruption load, while IndiGo and SpiceJet also faced delays.

Incheon International Airport, Seoul

Incheon International Airport experienced 78 delays. Asiana, Korean Air, Jin Air, Shandong Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines were among the affected carriers.

Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah

Sharjah International Airport reported 20 delays and 4 cancellations, with Air Arabia responsible for the majority of disruption activity at the airport.

Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays

China Eastern

China Eastern recorded the highest delay volume among all airlines in the dataset with 380 delayed flights and 28 cancellations, making it one of the most operationally impacted carriers across China today.

Hainan Airlines

Hainan Airlines registered the highest cancellation total overall with 34 cancellations alongside 79 delays across its network.

Emirates

Emirates reported 66 delayed flights at Dubai International Airport, contributing heavily to Gulf-region disruption totals.

AirAsia

AirAsia emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s most affected carriers, recording 47 delays and 20 cancellations across Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Sultan Mahmud airports.

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines logged 55 delayed flights across Malaysia and Thailand operations, particularly at Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok airports.

Thai Vietjet Air

Thai Vietjet Air faced extensive operational pressure in Bangkok, recording 37 delays and 1 cancellation.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines reported 35 delayed flights at Changi Airport as operational disruptions spread across regional Asian routes.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai recorded 22 delays and 2 cancellations at Dubai International Airport amid broader Gulf aviation congestion.

Asiana Airlines

Asiana experienced 20 delayed flights at Incheon International Airport, leading disruption figures among South Korean carriers.

FIREFLY

FIREFLY faced operational issues at multiple Malaysian airports, recording 18 delayed flights across Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Sultan Mahmud operations.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Monitor airline apps and airport departure boards regularly.
• Contact airlines directly for rebooking or compensation policies.
• Arrive earlier than usual for check-in and security procedures.
• Keep digital and printed copies of boarding passes and travel documents.
• Track baggage carefully during connecting flights.
• Stay updated on weather and operational advisories.
• Consider flexible travel alternatives where available.
• Confirm hotel and onward transport arrangements in case of extended delays.

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations Today

Asia’s aviation network experienced widespread operational pressure today, May 18, as major airlines including China Eastern, Hainan Airlines, AirAsia, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Vietjet Air, FlyDubai, Asiana Airlines, and FIREFLY dealt with elevated delay and cancellation levels across key regional hubs. The most affected cities included Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, Seoul, Penang, Sharjah, Kunming, Zhengzhou, and Hangzhou.
Author’s Observation: Data has been manually compiled from FlightAware and may change with live operational updates. Travelers are advised to monitor real-time flight status, and remain flexible.
Airports in China recorded the heaviest disruption totals overall, while significant operational issues were also reported in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and the UAE as airlines worked to manage schedule disruptions throughout the day.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware