Flights Cancelled Over Asia As Singapore, Dubai, Riyadh, And Others Cancel 207 And Delay 3,540 Flights Causing Travel Disruptions Throughout The Continent

Written By: Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid writes news that people actually find and finish reading. Ryan has a knack for turning jargon-heavy updates into engaging journalism anyone can follow in under a minute. An English graduate from Calcutta University, he pairs sharp writing instincts with a solid grip on what makes a story travel online. He keeps a close eye on what's trending and what's about to, so stories land while they still matter. Underneath the fast pace, there's always solid research and clean editing holding it together.

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August 5, 2026 3:39 AM |

Image generated with Ai

Flight cancellations are surging as Asia is under massive tension after 3,540 flight delays and 207 cancellations caused disruptions across Saudi Arabia, India, Singapore, Thailand, China, and beyond.
Saudi Arabia has once again emerged as the worst-hit region, with widespread disruptions at Riyadh, Jeddah, Gizan, and Najran Airport.
Saudia has been the hardest-hit airline, accounting for over 30% of all cancellations recorded. Meanwhile, Air China dealt with heavy delays, and Air India faced operational challenges in India.
Passengers in Beijing, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Singapore, and Bangkok are among those experiencing travel interruptions today.
The wave of disruptions also unfolds against a backdrop of escalating conflict in the Middle East. Najran Airport was targeted in a claimed Houthi attack. Travelers are keeping a close eye on the rapidly changing situation.

• Saudi Arabia: King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh) was the country’s busiest disruption hotspot with 114 delays and 22 cancellations.
• India: Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) led the country with 276 delays and 9 cancellations.
• UAE: Dubai International Airport reported 187 delays and 4 cancellations, the highest in the UAE.
• Singapore: Singapore Changi Airport recorded 190 delays and 1 cancellation.
• Thailand: Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok) saw 216 delays and 1 cancellation, the country’s highest disruption level.
• Indonesia: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Jakarta) recorded 150 delays and 15 cancellations.
• China: Shanghai Pudong Airport recorded the region’s highest disruption with 571 delays and 18 cancellations.

Why Are Disruptions Continuing Across Asia?

The Houthis recently claimed they targeted a “sensitive target” at Najran Airport in Saudi Arabia. They said the strike was carried out in response to alleged Saudi drone activity over Yemen’s Saada and Hajjah governors.
Saudi authorities have not commented on the claimed Najran Airport attack. Although the airport handles only a limited number of daily flights near the Yemen border, the broader security environment continues to add operational challenges across parts of the Kingdom.

In China, a significant proportion of the country’s airspace is controlled by the Army, leaving commercial airlines to operate within comparatively narrow civilian air corridors. During periods of heavy traffic, these corridors can become congested, producing cascading delays across major hubs such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu. Military airspace restrictions can also affect civilian flight routing, making it more difficult for airlines to recover schedules once delays begin spreading.

Air India Flight Turbulence: 17 Injured

Air India confirmed that 17 people, including four crew members, were injured after Flight AI379 encountered brief turbulence while operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4.

According to the airline, the aircraft, carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members, experienced a brief turbulence-related event during cruise that caused a momentary change in altitude. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and everyone on board disembarked safely.

Several passengers later described a sudden altitude drop during the flight, saying the unexpected movement caused injuries to some people onboard.
The incident highlights the challenges airlines continue to face while maintaining operations during a period of widespread disruption across parts of Asia.

Hardest-Hit Asian Airports

Shanghai Pudong Airport

Shanghai Pudong recorded the highest number of delays in Asia with 571 delayed flights and 18 cancellations. China Eastern, Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines and Air China accounted for most of the operational disruption, affecting both domestic and international services.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

Delhi recorded 276 delays and 9 cancellations. IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Air India Express faced the largest operational disruptions, affecting domestic routes as well as international departures.

King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh

Riyadh recorded 114 delays and 22 cancellations. Saudia was responsible for the overwhelming majority of cancellations, while Flynas and flyadeal also experienced notable delays as operations across Saudi Arabia remained under pressure.

What Can Impacted Travelers Do?

• Check your airline’s latest flight status before leaving for airports such as Shanghai Pudong, Delhi, Dubai, or Riyadh.
• Allow additional time for check-in and security, as delays can create longer queues.
• Keep mobile notifications enabled for airline schedule changes.
• Keep essential medications, chargers, travel documents and a change of clothes in your cabin baggage.
• If you have connecting flights through major hubs such as Singapore, Bangkok, Beijing or Shanghai, monitor onward flights closely and stay in contact with your airline.

Overview of Flight Cancellations And Delays

Flight operations remain under pressure across much of Asia, affecting travelers in China, Saudi Arabia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

China continues to account for the largest concentration of delays, particularly in Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen, Chengdu and Changsha, where China Eastern, Air China, China Southern Airlines, XiamenAir, Spring Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have experienced extensive disruption.

In India, passengers in Delhi and Mumbai have seen delays affecting IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa Air and Air India Express. The UAE has also experienced disruption around Dubai and Sharjah, with Emirates, FlyDubai, Air Arabia and Air India Express among the airlines affected.

Meanwhile, operations in Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket and Jakarta have also been impacted, with delays involving Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Thai Airways, Thai VietJet Air, Batik Air, Garuda Indonesia and several regional carriers.

Although many flights continue to operate, the combination of airspace constraints, regional security tensions, operational congestion and airline scheduling challenges means travelers across Asia should continue monitoring flight updates closely before heading to the airport.

The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 4 August 2026 at 3:36 pm ET USA (5 August at 1:06 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.

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