Thousands of Travelers Stranded in Asia as Japan, China and Indonesia Face 55 Flight Cancellations and over 1000 Delays by Air Do, Air China, Batik Air and others, Affecting Passengers across Tokyo, Beijing, Jakarta and more, New Update

Published on November 21, 2025

Massive logistical failures currently disrupt the aviation landscape across Asia. Today, a sudden surge of flight cancellations and delays creates chaos for travelers throughout Japan, China and Indonesia. The impact hits hard in Tokyo and Sapporo, where carriers grapple with stalled schedules and frustrated passengers. Meanwhile, travelers in Beijing and Shenzhen face hundreds of unexpected delays, effectively grinding regional transit to a halt. Furthermore, the ripple effect extends southward to Jakarta and Denpasar, where airlines struggle to clear heavy backlogs. Consequently, this operational breakdown forces thousands of people to rethink their immediate travel plans. There’s a total of 1200 delays and 55 flight cancellations reported.

Major Airports Affected

The logistical breakdown has been most acute at primary international gateways, where passenger volume is highest.

In Japan, the disruption was centered at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), a critical hub for domestic and international transit. Operational data indicates that 11 flights were cancelled at Haneda today, accompanied by a staggering 211 delays. Further north, New Chitose Airport, which serves the Hokkaido region, reported 10 cancellations and 47 delays, complicating travel for those moving between Japan’s northern islands and the capital.

In China, the impact was felt heavily across two of its most economically vital cities. Beijing Capital International Airport registered 21 cancellations and 124 delays, affecting a significant number of passengers departing from or arriving in the capital. However, the highest volume of delayed flights was observed in the south at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. While cancellations were limited to 5, the airport struggled with 369 delays, suggesting severe congestion or operational bottlenecks that slowed passenger movement significantly.

Indonesia also faced substantial interruptions, particularly in Jakarta and Bali. Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the primary gateway to the archipelago, recorded 6 cancellations and 335 delays, placing it just behind Shenzhen in terms of delay volume. Meanwhile, Ngurah Rai (Bali) International Airport, a top destination for global tourism, saw 2 cancellations and 114 delays, potentially disrupting holiday itineraries for inbound and outbound travelers.

Impacted Airlines

A wide range of carriers has been caught in the disruption, with specific airlines bearing the brunt of the schedule changes in each region.

In the Japanese sector, Air Do was significantly affected, reporting 10 cancellations and 17 delays at Haneda, along with further disruptions at New Chitose. Air Canada also saw a cancellation at Haneda. Major carriers such as All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) faced extensive delays rather than cancellations, with ANA recording 84 delays and JAL 54 delays at Haneda alone. ANA Wings contributed another 19 delays to the total.

In China, Air China struggled with both cancellations and delays, logging 21 cancellations and 73 delays at Beijing Capital and additional interruptions in Shenzhen. Hainan Airlines was also impacted, with delays in Beijing and a mix of cancellations and delays in Shenzhen. The southern hub of Shenzhen saw a high frequency of delays from other carriers as well, including Shenzhen Airlines (113 delays), China Southern Airlines (74 delays), China Eastern (30 delays) and Donghai Airlines (20 delays).

In Indonesia, Batik Air was the primary carrier associated with cancellations, registering 6 cancellations and 63 delays in Jakarta and 2 cancellations in Bali. Other airlines faced heavy delays without cancellations: Super Air Jet (56 delays), Lion Air (51 delays) and Garuda Indonesia (47 delays) were all slowed down in Jakarta. In Bali, Wings Abadi and Lion Air also faced schedule slides.

Beyond these specific figures, minor delays were being experienced by several other Airlines.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The scale of these delays—particularly the 1,000+ delays spread across Asia—is likely to have immediate consequences for local tourism sectors.

In Japan, the delays at Haneda and New Chitose may disrupt the tightly scheduled itineraries that are common for visitors using rail passes and connecting flights. Missed connections in Tokyo could lead to shortened stays in regional destinations like Sapporo, impacting hotel occupancy and local hospitality revenue in Hokkaido.

For China, the heavy delays in Shenzhen and Beijing could dampen business travel efficiency, a key driver for these economic hubs. In Shenzhen specifically, the sheer volume of delays (369) implies that thousands of passengers may have been stuck at the airport for extended periods, reducing potential spending in the city center and increasing strain on airport services.

In Indonesia, the situation in Bali is particularly sensitive. With 114 delays at Ngurah Rai, tourists arriving for vacations may face lost leisure time, while those departing could miss international connections. In Jakarta, the delays affecting major domestic carriers like Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia could slow the movement of travelers to other islands, potentially affecting the broader distribution of tourism revenue across the archipelago.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers caught in this wave of disruptions across Japan, China and Indonesia are advised to take immediate steps to mitigate the impact on their travel plans.

1. Check Flight Status Continuously: With over 1,000 delays recorded, schedules are fluid. Passengers flying with Air China, All Nippon Airways or Batik Air should utilize airline apps for the most real-time updates rather than relying solely on airport departure boards.
2. Contact Airlines for Rebooking: For those on cancelled flights—such as the 10 Air Do flights in Tokyo or the 21 Air China flights in Beijing—contacting the airline immediately is crucial. Rebooking queues can be long; utilizing online chat support or international call centers may yield faster results.
3. Verify Connection Buffers: Travelers with connecting flights in Jakarta or Shenzhen should verify if their delay (e.g., the 369 delays in Shenzhen) has eaten into their layover time. If a connection is at risk, notifying ground staff before departure is recommended.
4. Documentation: Keep records of all delay notifications and boarding passes. In many cases, documentation is required for travel insurance claims or potential compensation, depending on the specific regulations in Asia and the terms of carriage of the respective airlines.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.