Thousands Of Travellers Grounded In Asia As Thailand, Singapore, Japan, UAE, China, India, And Malaysia Delay 5993 And Cancel 278 Flights, Disrupting Thai AirAsia, JAL, ANA, Air India, Air China, And Others In Tokyo, Bangkok, Beijing, And More

Written By: Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid

Ryan Rashid covers the travel and aviation industry with a focus on the disruptions, industry shifts, and operational changes that shape how people actually travel. 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.

See Full Bio

April 1, 2026 03:27 GMT+5:30

Image generated with Ai

Thousands of passengers left stranded across Asia today as a major wave of aviation disruption swept across China, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, UAE, India, and Malaysia, with 5,993 delays and 278 cancellations recorded across Tokyo Haneda (710 delays, 5 cancellations), Delhi (478 delays, 5 cancellations), Shanghai Pudong (439 delays, 18 cancellations), Kuala Lumpur (382 delays, 13 cancellations), Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (277 delays, 4 cancellations), Singapore Changi (253 delays, 1 cancellation), Beijing Capital (258 delays, 24 cancellations), Guangzhou Baiyun (951 delays, 82 cancellations), Shenzhen Bao’an (767 delays, 58 cancellations), Hangzhou Xiaoshan (390 delays, 19 cancellations), Mumbai (198 delays, 3 cancellations), Don Mueang (216 delays, 2 cancellations), Changsha Huanghua (142 delays, 22 cancellations), Dubai (116 delays, 6 cancellations), Hyderabad (104 delays, 2 cancellations), Osaka Itami (97 delays, 5 cancellations), Phuket (88 delays, 2 cancellations), Chennai (66 delays, 6 cancellations), and Abu Dhabi (61 delays, 1 cancellation).
The most affected airlines included China Southern Airlines (783 delays), IndiGo (352 delays, 6 cancellations), China Eastern (327 delays, 28 cancellations), Air China (301 delays, 43 cancellations), and Japan Airlines (310 delays). Other heavily impacted carriers included All Nippon Airways (216 delays), Air India (201 delays), and Thai AirAsia (161 delays).
Additional widely used carriers such as Singapore Airlines, AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, and SpiceJet also experienced notable operational disruption.
The disruption impacted major cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Changsha, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Phuket, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Tokyo, Osaka, and Singapore, spanning countries such as China, India, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

• Updated Today: Asia recorded 5,993 delays and 278 cancellations across 19 airports
• China led disruption volume, with Guangzhou and Shenzhen alone contributing over 1,700 delays
• Japan’s Tokyo Haneda emerged as one of the most delayed hubs with 710 delays
• India’s Delhi airport recorded 478 delays, among the highest in South Asia
• China Southern Airlines was the most delayed airline globally in this dataset
• Air China and Shenzhen Airlines led cancellation counts among Chinese carriers
• Malindo Air recorded the highest cancellations among non-Chinese airlines
• Delays dominated disruptions, far exceeding cancellations across all regions

Most Affected Asian Airports

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangzhou recorded the highest disruption volume, with 951 delays and 82 cancellations, driven largely by heavy domestic airline congestion.

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport

Shenzhen followed closely with 767 delays and 58 cancellations, reinforcing southern China as a key disruption zone.

Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)

Tokyo Haneda experienced 710 delays, making it one of the most disrupted global hubs despite low cancellations.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)

Delhi saw 478 delays, driven primarily by domestic carriers like IndiGo and Air India.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Shanghai recorded 439 delays and 18 cancellations, reflecting sustained operational pressure in eastern China.

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

Hangzhou posted 390 delays and 19 cancellations, placing it among the most impacted secondary Chinese hubs.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Kuala Lumpur logged 382 delays, with disruption largely concentrated among low-cost carriers.

Airlines Most Affected by Asia Flight Cancellations and Delays

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines recorded the highest delay volume (783 delays) across multiple Chinese and Southeast Asian airports, making it the most disrupted airline overall.

IndiGo

IndiGo reported 352 delays and 6 cancellations, dominating disruption metrics across Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

China Eastern

China Eastern accumulated 327 delays and 28 cancellations, with significant impact in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Air China

Air China logged 301 delays and 43 cancellations, the highest cancellation total among Chinese carriers.

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines recorded 310 delays, primarily concentrated in Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami.

All Nippon Airways

All Nippon Airways experienced 216 delays, reinforcing the scale of disruption within Japan’s domestic network.

Air India

Air India registered 201 delays, with a strong presence across multiple Indian hubs.

Thai AirAsia

Thai AirAsia recorded 161 delays, largely centered around Bangkok and Don Mueang operations.

What Can Impacted Passengers Do?

• Check flight status regularly through airline apps or airport websites
• Arrive early at the airport to accommodate possible schedule changes
• Keep essential items (documents, chargers, medication) in carry-on luggage
• Contact airlines immediately for rebooking options if flights are disrupted
• Monitor official airline communication channels for updates
• Consider travel insurance coverage for delays and cancellations

Learn More

Overview of Asia Flight Cancellations

The disruption wave across Asia highlights the scale of operational pressure on major aviation hubs. Airlines such as China Southern Airlines, Air China, China Eastern, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways were among the most affected, contributing significantly to both delays and cancellations.
Key cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Delhi, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur repeatedly emerged as major disruption centers, with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Tokyo particularly standing out due to exceptionally high delay volumes.
Across China, India, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, airports faced sustained congestion, with delays overwhelmingly exceeding cancellations. Cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing saw repeated disruption patterns, while Tokyo and Delhi added further pressure from high-volume domestic operations.
Overall, the data reflects a region-wide disruption event, with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tokyo, Delhi, and Shanghai appearing multiple times among the most impacted locations, underscoring the concentration of delays across Asia’s busiest aviation corridors.

Source: Different airports and FlightAware