Thousands Of Travellers Grounded In Asia As Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, And Philippines Delay 4,847 And Cancel 374 Flights, Disrupting Cathay Pacific, Thai AirAsia, Japan Airlines, And Others In Tokyo, Manila, Bangkok, And More

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Thousands of travellers were stranded in Asia today as a massive wave of disruptions swept across China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong (SAR), and the Philippines, with 4,847 delays and 374 cancellations across Tokyo Haneda (164 delays, 3 cancellations), Hong Kong (185 delays), Manila (90 delays, 7 cancellations), Kuala Lumpur (158 delays, 13 cancellations), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (204 delays, 1 cancellation), Shenzhen (382 delays, 30 cancellations), Guangzhou (360 delays, 41 cancellations), Shanghai Pudong (268 delays, 23 cancellations), Hangzhou (283 delays, 8 cancellations), Chengdu Tianfu (216 delays, 8 cancellations), Chongqing (185 delays, 9 cancellations), Beijing Daxing (143 delays, 13 cancellations), Xi’an (133 delays, 16 cancellations), Nanjing (140 delays, 11 cancellations), Tokyo Narita (92 delays), Osaka Itami (16 delays, 3 cancellations), Sapporo New Chitose (51 delays, 2 cancellations), and Bangkok Don Mueang (111 delays).
The most affected airlines included China Eastern (438 delays, 38 cancellations), China Southern Airlines (363 delays, 22 cancellations), and China Express Airlines (130 delays, 47 cancellations). Other heavily impacted carriers included Cathay Pacific (107 delays), Thai AirAsia (106 delays), and Japan Airlines (80 delays).
Additional widely recognized airlines such as All Nippon Airways, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, and Cebu Pacific also experienced notable operational strain.
These disruptions impacted operations across China, Japan, Hong Kong (SAR), the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

• Updated today: A total of 4,847 delays and 374 cancellations were recorded across major Asian airports.
• China accounted for the highest concentration of cancellations, led by Guangzhou and Shenzhen, amid operational challenges.
• Japan and Hong Kong maintained low cancellation rates despite steady delays.
• China Eastern and China Southern Airlines dominated delay volumes across the region.
• Cathay Pacific and Thai AirAsia were the most impacted non-Chinese carriers by delays.
• Southeast Asian hubs like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur saw delay-heavy but mostly stable operations.
• Transnational hubs such as Hong Kong and Shanghai remained key congestion points.

Most Affected Asian Airports

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport

Heavy congestion led to widespread disruption, with airlines such as China Eastern, Shenzhen Airlines, and China Southern Airlines facing the most operational impact.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

One of the worst-hit hubs for cancellations, with major disruptions affecting China Southern Airlines, China Eastern, and Air China.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

A major international gateway where delays were driven largely by China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines, alongside other carriers.

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

High delay volumes impacted operations for China Southern Airlines and Air China, reflecting broader regional congestion.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)

Despite relatively low cancellations, delays affected Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, and ANA Wings.

Hong Kong International Airport

A delay-heavy environment with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, and Hong Kong Express Airways seeing the most disruption.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok)

Operational delays impacted Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, and Thai Vietjet Air, particularly on regional routes.

Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays

China Eastern

China Eastern recorded the highest delay volume in the dataset, alongside significant cancellations, indicating large-scale operational strain across multiple hubs.

China Southern Airlines

With one of the largest delay counts and notable cancellations, the airline faced widespread disruption, particularly at southern China hubs.

China Express Airlines

This regional carrier experienced the highest cancellation count, highlighting network instability.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific dominated delay figures in Hong Kong, reflecting congestion rather than cancellations.

Thai AirAsia

Thai AirAsia was a major contributor to delays across Bangkok airports, especially Don Mueang.

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines maintained operations with zero cancellations but high delay volumes across Japanese hubs.

All Nippon Airways

Similar to Japan Airlines, ANA saw delays without cancellations, emphasizing schedule continuity.

AirAsia

Across multiple subsidiaries, AirAsia recorded consistent delays throughout Southeast Asia.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Check real-time flight status updates through airline or airport platforms
• Stay in contact with airline customer support for rebooking options
• Arrive early at airports to accommodate potential schedule changes
• Keep digital and printed travel documents readily accessible
• Monitor weather and operational advisories affecting routes
• Consider flexible travel plans where possible

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations

Flight disruptions across Asia today, April 29, were driven by a combination of congestion and operational strain, with major airlines such as China Eastern, China Southern Airlines, China Express Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai AirAsia, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways experiencing widespread impact.
Key cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok repeatedly emerged as disruption hotspots, reflecting both domestic and international traffic pressures. Shenzhen and Guangzhou in China saw some of the highest cancellation and delay counts, while Tokyo and Hong Kong maintained lower cancellation levels but continued to experience steady delays.
Author’s Note: Data has been compiled manually from FlightAware and may change with live updates. Airlines may adjust schedules for safety, so travelers should monitor updates, and stay flexible.
Across China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, aviation networks remained under pressure, with major hubs such as Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong acting as central nodes of congestion. The recurrence of disruption patterns across cities like Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Bangkok underscores the scale of operational challenges affecting Asia’s aviation sector today.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware