Hundreds of Travelers Affected Over Asia at Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and More Airports with 341 Cancellations and 4,959 Delays

Due to extensive operational issues, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, and other airports reported 341 cancellations and 4,959 delays today, disrupting hundreds of travelers around Asia. Due to significant rains, weather-related constraints, airport congestion, and aircraft schedule demands, key aviation hubs were disrupted. Additionally, delayed planes had additional network effects, making it difficult for crowded foreign gateways to continue operating smoothly. While travelers endured longer wait times and unforeseen travel changes, airlines throughout the region managed shifting itineraries. The event demonstrates how rapidly operational problems and weather may impact global connectivity, particularly at busy airports that serve millions of travelers throughout Asia and beyond.

Major Asian Airports Experience Heavy Flight Delays and Cancellations

The airport disruption pattern showed significant pressure across several major aviation centres. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand recorded the highest number of delays among the listed airports, with 540 delayed flights and five cancellations. The high delay volume affected one of Southeast Asia’s most important international gateways, which handles large numbers of regional and long-haul passengers.

China experienced some of the most widespread airport disruption. Shanghai Pudong International Airport recorded 463 delays and 18 cancellations, while Beijing Capital International Airport reported 335 delays and 25 cancellations. Other major Chinese airports also faced operational difficulties, including Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport with 281 delays and 11 cancellations, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport with 214 delays and 29 cancellations, and Beijing Daxing International Airport with 192 delays and 20 cancellations.

The disruption extended across other Chinese cities as well. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport recorded 173 delays and 14 cancellations, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport reported 142 delays and six cancellations, while Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport recorded 103 delays and 10 cancellations.

Southeast Asia and South Asia Aviation Networks Face Pressure

Several Southeast Asian aviation hubs reported significant disruption. Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia recorded 266 delays and four cancellations, while Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam reported 251 delays and six cancellations.

Vietnam’s capital gateway, Noi Bai International Airport, recorded 180 delays and four cancellations, highlighting continued pressure on the country’s aviation network. Indonesia’s Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport reported 169 delays and 16 cancellations, while Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport recorded 30 delays and five cancellations.

India’s major international airports were also affected. Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi recorded 176 delays and 15 cancellations, while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai reported 67 delays and four cancellations.

Other affected airports included Dubai International Airport in the UAE with 191 delays and eight cancellations, and King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia with 183 delays and four cancellations, impacting passengers travelling between Asia and Middle Eastern connecting hubs.

Airlines Across Asia Record Significant Delays and Cancelled Flights

The airline data shows that both Asian carriers and international operators experienced operational disruption.

China Eastern recorded 76 cancellations, representing 3% of its operations, and 465 delays with a 19% delay rate. Air China reported 66 cancellations at 3% and 261 delays at 15%. These figures placed both Chinese carriers among the most affected airlines by total delayed flights.

India’s IndiGo recorded 13 cancellations with a 0% cancellation rate and 264 delays at 13%, while SpiceJet reported 10 cancellations at 17% and 24 delays at 42%.

Southeast Asian airlines also experienced disruption. Batik Air recorded 15 cancellations at 4% and 41 delays at 13%, while Vietnam Airlines reported six cancellations at 1% and 102 delays at 26%.

Other notable airline disruptions included:

Airline	Cancelled Flights	Cancellation Rate	Delayed Flights	Delay Rate
China Southern Airlines	7	0%	187	8%
Shanghai Airlines	5	1%	83	25%
FlyDubai	5	1%	78	25%
Japan Airlines	4	0%	122	15%
Saudia	4	0%	100	17%
Thai Vietjet Air	4	3%	72	57%
Tianjin Airlines	4	1%	68	19%
Spring Airlines	2	0%	155	24%
Hainan Airlines	2	0%	116	15%
AirAsia	2	0%	113	23%
Thai AirAsia	2	0%	96	40%
Turkish Airlines	1	0%	211	13%
Thai Airways	1	0%	163	66%
Air Arabia	1	0%	88	36%
Qatar Airways	1	0%	78	12%
All Nippon Airways	1	0%	78	13%
Korean Air	1	0%	69	16%

Cities and Countries Most Affected by Today’s Travel Disruptions

The disruption affected major aviation cities across Asia. Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Delhi, Mumbai, Jakarta and Guangzhou experienced some of the highest disruption levels.

China recorded the widest spread of affected airports, with multiple major cities reporting delays and cancellations. Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia also experienced significant impacts, affecting regional connectivity.

The disruption also affected international routes connecting Asia with the Middle East through major hubs such as Dubai and Riyadh. Airlines operating between Asian markets and global destinations faced delays due to network connections and aircraft scheduling challenges.

IATA	Airport	Origin Cancelled %	Destination Cancelled %
BKK	Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Int’l	0%	0%
BOM	Chatrapati Shivaji Int’l	0%	—
CAN	Guangzhou Baiyun Int’l	0%	0%
CGK	Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int’l	1%	1%
CKG	Chongqing Jiangbei Int’l	1%	1%
CSX	Changsha Huanghua Int’l	0%	1%
CTU	Chengdu Shuangliu Int’l	2%	2%
DEL	Indira Gandhi Int’l	0%	1%
DXB	Dubai Int’l	0%	0%
HAN	Noi Bai Int’l	0%	—
HET	Hohhot Baita Int’l	1%	1%
HFE	Hefei Xinqiao Airport	4%	5%
HGH	Hangzhou Xiaoshan Int’l	1%	1%
INC	Yinchuan Helanshan	2%	2%
KHG	Kashgar (Kashi)	—	4%
KMG	Kunming Changshui Int’l	1%	1%
KUL	Kuala Lumpur Int’l	0%	—
LHW	Lanzhou Zhongchuan International	2%	2%
NKG	Nanjing Lukou Int’l	1%	1%
PEK	Beijing Capital Int’l	2%	1%
PKX	Beijing Daxing International Airport	1%	2%
PVG	Shanghai Pudong Int’l	1%	0%
RUH	King Khalid Int’l	—	0%
SGN	Tan Son Nhat Int’l	0%	0%
SHA	Shanghai Hongqiao Int’l	4%	3%
SZX	Shenzhen Bao’an Int’l	0%	0%
TAO	Qingdao Jiaodong Int’l	1%	—
TFU	Chengdu Tianfu Int’l	1%	1%
TSN	Tianjin Binhai Int’l	1%	1%
TYN	Taiyuan Wusu	2%	3%
UPG	Sultan Hasanuddin Int’l	—	2%
WUH	Wuhan Tianhe	—	1%
XIY	Xi’an Xianyang Int’l	0%	1%
YNB	Yanbu Domestic	60%	60%
ZHA	Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport	9%	8%

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers facing delays or cancellations should take several steps to manage their journeys.

• Travellers should first check their latest flight status directly through their airline’s official website or mobile application before travelling to the airport. Flight times can change quickly during periods of operational disruption.
• Passengers affected by cancellations should contact their airline immediately to discuss available options, including rebooking, alternative flights or possible travel adjustments.
• Travellers with connecting flights should allow additional time between services, especially when travelling through busy hubs such as Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai.
• Passengers should also keep important travel documents, booking confirmations and communication details accessible. Those already at airports should follow announcements from airlines and airport authorities.

With 4,959 delays and 341 cancellations recorded across the listed Asian airports, travellers are advised to remain updated and prepare for possible schedule changes while airlines work to restore normal operations.

Data Verification Notice

The data has been extensively curated by our editorial team using real-time aviation figures recorded on 26 September 2026 at 2:40 pm ET USA (26 September 2026, 10:41 pm GST).
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.

Airports across Asia faced 3,314 delays and 191 cancellations on yesterday. Read the full report here.

Verified by Tuhin Sarkar