Thousands Of Passengers Grounded In Asia As Singapore, China Southern, Emirates, Japan, ANA, And Others Cancel 261 And Delay 3,420 Flights Across UAE, Singapore, China, Japan, India, Hong Kong, And More Including Dubai, Beijing, Delhi, and Tokyo

Published on December 19, 2025

Thousands of Travelers were disrupted today across Asia as widespread flight issues resulted in 261 cancellations and 3,420 delays, including Dubai International (639 delays, 52 cancellations), Indira Gandhi Airport (535 delays, 6 cancellations), Beijing Daxing (590 delays, 95 cancellations), Hong Kong (279 delays), Singapore Changi (235 delays, 1 cancellation), Tokyo Haneda(140 delays, 6 cancellations), and Manila Airport (246 delays, 2 cancellations). Impacted airlines included IndiGO (240 delays in Delhi alone), China Southern Airlines (over 250 combined delays and cancellations across Beijing Daxing, Chengdu, and Kunming), FlyDubai (232 delays and 28 cancellations in Dubai), Emirates (223 delays and 15 cancellations), Cathay Pacific (119 delays in Hong Kong), Singapore Airlines (47 delays), and ANA Group carriers across Japan. The disruption pattern today was delay-driven across India, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Middle East–connected networks, while cancellations were more concentrated at mainland Chinese airports. Delhi, Dubai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, Tokyo, Chengdu, Kunming, Jeddah, and Chitose were among the most affected cities, reflecting widespread disruption across India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

• Update today: Asia-wide operations logged 3,681 total disruptions, including 3,420 delays and 261 cancellations across all tracked airports.
• China Southern Airlines and China Eastern recorded the highest flight cancellations today, contributing heavily to the 261 total cancellations across Asian networks.
• Dubai International Airport led globally in delays with 639 delayed flights, driven primarily by FlyDubai and Emirates operations.
• Beijing Daxing International Airport recorded the highest cancellation count, with 95 cancellations alongside 590 delays.
• Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport experienced high delay volumes but near-zero cancellations, indicating congestion rather than shutdowns.
• IndiGO logged the highest airline delay volume with 240 delayed flights, followed by Air India and Air India Express with 185+ combined delays.

Most Affected Asian Airports by Cancellations and Delays

Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)

Delhi recorded 535 delays and 6 cancellations, making it one of the most disrupted airports by volume today. Delays were concentrated among large domestic operators, particularly IndiGO and Air India, indicating congestion-driven disruption rather than widespread flight grounding.

Dubai International Airport

Dubai logged 639 delays and 52 cancellations, the highest delay count among all monitored hubs. Disruption was largely absorbed by hub carriers, with FlyDubai and Emirates accounting for the majority of affected flights.

Beijing Daxing International Airport

Beijing Daxing reported 590 delays and 95 cancellations, the most cancellation-heavy airport in the dataset. Multiple Chinese carriers experienced elevated delay and cancellation ratios, marking this as one of the most operationally strained hubs today.

Hong Kong International Airport

Hong Kong recorded 279 delays and zero cancellations, underscoring a delay-heavy but resilient operational environment. Cathay Pacific alone accounted for over a hundred delayed flights, while overall flight continuity was maintained.

Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore Changi saw 235 delays and just 1 cancellation, with delays spread across Singapore Airlines, Scoot, AirAsia, and Thai Airways. The data reflected congestion without large-scale service suspension.

Manila International Airport

Manila logged 246 delays and 2 cancellations, driven primarily by Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine domestic carriers, while international disruption remained limited.

Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations and Delays

IndiGO

IndiGO recorded the single highest delay volume, with 240 delays in Delhi alone, alongside additional delays across regional networks, making it the most impacted airline by sheer scale today.

Air India

Air India and Air India Express together accounted for over 180 delays across Delhi, Dubai-linked routes, and regional operations, reflecting high exposure at major hubs.

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines experienced extensive disruption across Beijing Daxing, Chengdu Tianfu, and Kunming, combining high delay counts with notable cancellations.

China Eastern

Across multiple Chinese hubs, including Beijing Daxing, Kunming, and Chengdu, China Eastern was affected by both delays and cancellations, contributing to overall disruption.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai recorded 232 delays and 28 cancellations at Dubai International alone, placing it among the most disrupted Middle Eastern carriers today.

Emirates

Emirates logged 223 delays and 15 cancellations at Dubai International, reflecting hub congestion rather than network-wide shutdown.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific recorded 119 delays at Hong Kong International Airport, making it one of the most delay-affected carriers in East Asia today.

How Travellers Were Impacted at Major Airports

• Expect longer-than-usual ground delays even when flights were not cancelled
• Monitor airline notifications closely for rolling schedule changes
• Allow extra buffer time for connections at major hubs
• Prepare for gate changes and extended boarding windows
• Reconfirm onward travel arrangements in delay-heavy airports

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations

Today’s Asia-wide flight disruption was predominantly delay-driven, with cancellations forming a smaller but concentrated share of total impact. Beijing Daxing , Shijiazhuang Zhengding accounted for a disproportionate share of cancellations, while major hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore Changi, Manila, and Indira Gandhi International Airport maintained strong flight continuity. Airlines such as China Eastern, China Southern Airlines, Spring Airlines, and FlyDubai absorbed the bulk of cancellations, while carriers including IndiGO, Air India, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines managed disruption primarily through delays. Overall, today’s operational picture across Asia reflected congestion, and hub pressure rather than systemic shutdown, with delays dominating the passenger experience across multiple major airports.

Image Source: AI

Source: Different airports and FlightAware