Flights Cancelled Spanning Asia as Bangkok and 15 Others Delay 2,316 and Cancel 143, Impacting Air Travel 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 24, 2026 3:57 AM |

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Air travel across Asia is facing a notable level of disruption today, with 2,316 delays and 143 cancellations recorded across Thailand, the UAE, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Air China, IndiGo, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, and Air India are among the airlines facing the heaviest delays. Cancellation figures are led by Saudia, followed by China Southern, SpiceJet, Air China, Batik Air, Cathay Pacific, and Air Arabia.

• Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport recorded the highest number of delays at 454.
• Saudia recorded the highest number of cancellations among the airlines, with 50.
• Air China had the highest number of delays among airlines, with 205.
• China Southern Airlines recorded 180 delays and 22 cancellations.
• Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded 204 delays and 14 cancellations.
• Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport recorded 221 delays and 11 cancellations.
• Hong Kong International Airport recorded 200 delays and 8 cancellations.

Airports Seeing the Most Flight Disruptions Across Asia

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport recorded 454 delays and 22 cancellations, the highest delay total in Asia. China Southern Airlines accounted for 167 delays and 20 cancellations, while Air China recorded 44 delays and two cancellations.

Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport

Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport saw 221 delays and 11 cancellations. Batik Air recorded 47 delays and 10 cancellations, while Garuda Indonesia recorded 38 delays and one cancellation.

Indira Gandhi International Airport

Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded 204 delays and 14 cancellations. IndiGo had 73 delays and three cancellations, while Air India recorded 60 delays.

Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport recorded 200 delays and eight cancellations. Cathay Pacific accounted for 72 delays and five cancellations, while Greater Bay Airlines recorded 19 delays.

Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport recorded 199 delays and two cancellations. Flydubai and Emirates each recorded 65 delays, while SpiceJet recorded 18 delays.

Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport

Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport recorded 185 delays and three cancellations. Bangkok Airways recorded 55 delays, followed by Thai Airways with 31.

Manila International Airport

Manila International Airport recorded 123 delays and five cancellations. PAL Express recorded 32 delays, while Philippine Airlines recorded 31 and Cebu Pacific Air recorded 27.

King Khalid International Airport

King Khalid International Airport recorded 96 delays and 15 cancellations. Saudia recorded 19 delays and all 15 cancellations shown for the airport.

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport recorded 253 delays and 12 cancellations. Air China accounted for 158 delays and all 12 of its cancellations, while Hainan Airlines recorded 21 delays.

Airlines Recording the Highest Delay and Cancellation Numbers

Air China

Air China recorded 205 delays and 16 cancellations across Beijing Capital, Guangzhou Baiyun, and Xi’an Xianyang. Its 205 delays make it the airline with the highest delay total among the airports covered.

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines recorded 180 delays and 22 cancellations. The airline had 167 delays and 20 cancellations at Guangzhou Baiyun, with another 13 delays and two cancellations at Xi’an Xianyang.

IndiGo

IndiGo recorded 101 delays and three cancellations across Dubai, Mumbai, and Delhi. Its largest delay figure came at Indira Gandhi International Airport, with 73.

Emirates

Emirates recorded 75 delays and one cancellation across Dubai, Hong Kong, and Mumbai. Dubai International Airport accounted for 65 of its delays.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific recorded 72 delays and seven cancellations across Hong Kong and Manila. Hong Kong International Airport accounted for all 72 delays and five cancellations.

Saudia

Saudia recorded 50 cancellations, the highest cancellation total among the airlines, across Abha, King Abdulaziz, King Khalid, Manila, Najran, and Gizan. It also recorded 65 delays across those locations.

Steps Passengers Can Take When Flights Are Cancelled

• Check the airline’s latest flight status before leaving for the airport.
• Contact the airline to ask about rebooking options.
• Check whether an alternative flight is available on the same route.
• Keep booking confirmations and travel documents accessible.
• Ask the airline about applicable refund or credit options.
• Allow additional time at the airport if schedules are changing.
• Recheck departure times after receiving a revised itinerary.

Factors Behind Flight Cancellations Across Asia

Flight cancellations can occur for several operational reasons. Aircraft availability, crew scheduling, maintenance requirements, airport capacity, air traffic management and adjustments to airline schedules can all affect individual flights.

Connecting flights can also be affected when an earlier service arrives late, while aircraft rotations may require airlines to adjust subsequent departures. These factors can result in cancellations or delays even when conditions at a passenger’s departure airport appear normal.

What the Latest Asia Flight Picture Means for Travelers

The latest figures show that China, India, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines are all experiencing flight disruptions at the airports covered.

Guangzhou, Beijing, Jakarta, and Delhi stand out for their higher delay counts, while King Khalid, King Abdulaziz, Abha, Gizan, and Najran show notable cancellation activity involving Saudia.

Among airlines, Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern, IndiGo, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, and Air India account for some of the highest delay totals. On the cancellation side, Saudia, China Southern Airlines, SpiceJet, Air China, Batik Air, Cathay Pacific, and Air Arabia record the highest figures.

Passengers traveling through Guangzhou, Beijing, Delhi, Jakarta, Dubai, Bangkok, and Hong Kong should therefore check their flight status regularly, as individual schedules can change throughout the day.


The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 23 August 2026 at 5:50 pm ET USA (24 August 3:20 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.