Travel Disruption in Asia as Jetstar, Emirates, AirAsia, Batik Air, and More Airlines Cancel 25 Flights Across Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, Affecting Routes to Melbourne, Tokyo, Jeddah, Jakarta, Bali, and More – New Update

Published on December 16, 2025

Airlines across the region cancelled a total of 25 scheduled departures, leading to widespread Asia flight cancellations across several major aviation markets. The disruptions were recorded at key airports in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, affecting routes to Melbourne, Bahrain, Mumbai, Bali, Al Maktoum (Dubai), Kaohsiung, Xuzhou, Jakarta, Jambi, Komodo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Yogyakarta, Makassar, Luang Prabang, Xi’an, Penang, Guangzhou, Tokyo Haneda, and Jeddah.

The scale and geographic spread of the cancellations indicate broader operational pressure rather than isolated airport-specific problems, with ripple effects across Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

Singapore: Long-Haul and Regional Connectivity Reduced

At Singapore Changi Airport, airlines cancelled four outbound services covering a diverse mix of destinations. These included intercontinental flights as well as popular regional routes, temporarily reducing connectivity from one of Asia’s busiest aviation hubs.

Cancelled departures included:

• Jetstar flight JST8 to Melbourne
• Gulf Air flight GFA166 to Bahrain
• IndiGo flight IGO1022 to Mumbai
• AirAsia flight AWQ503 to Bali

These Singapore flight cancellations affected both leisure and business travelers, particularly those using Changi as a major transit point.

Hong Kong: Regional and International Routes Withdrawn

Hong Kong International Airport reported three cancelled departures across multiple markets. Airlines pulled services linking the city with the Middle East, Taiwan, and mainland China.

Affected flights included:

• Emirates flight UAE9881 to Al Maktoum International Airport
• Cathay Pacific flight CPA424 to Kaohsiung
• HGB822 to Xuzhou

These Hong Kong cancelled flights disrupted travel flows within Greater China and reduced long-haul options for international connections.

Indonesia: Multiple Airports See Repeated Disruptions

Indonesia experienced the highest number of cancellations, with disruptions spread across several airports and largely focused on domestic trunk routes and short regional services.

Cancellations were recorded at:

• Yogyakarta International Airport: Batik Air flight BTK7540 to Jakarta
• Kuala Namu International Airport: Batik Air flight BTK6878 to Jambi
• Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (Makassar): Batik Air flights BTK6231 and BTK6269 to Jakarta
• Ngurah Rai International Airport (Bali):
  • Batik Air flight BTK6329 to Komodo
  • AirAsia flight AWQ502 to Singapore
• Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport:
  • MXD381 to Kuala Lumpur
  • Batik Air flights BTK7533 to Yogyakarta and BTK6142 and BTK6296 to Makassar

These Indonesia airport disruptions suggest wider network challenges rather than problems limited to a single airport or airline.

Vietnam: Regional and Intercontinental Flights Halted

Vietnamese airports also reported cancellations affecting both short-haul regional links and long-haul international services.

The cancelled flights were:

• From Ho Chi Minh City: Jetstar flight JST64 to Melbourne
• From Hanoi:
  • Lao Airlines flight LAO314 to Luang Prabang
  • China Eastern flight CES868 to Xi’an

These Vietnam flight cancellations reduced travel options between Southeast Asia, Australia, and East Asia.

Malaysia: Domestic, Regional, and Long-Haul Services Affected

Malaysia recorded cancellations at three airports, impacting routes of varying distance and purpose, from short domestic hops to long-haul international journeys.

The affected departures included:

• Langkawi International Airport: Firefly flight FDB1604 to Penang
• Kota Kinabalu International Airport: AirAsia flight AXM1530 to Guangzhou
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport:
  • MXD380 to Jakarta
  • ANA886 to Tokyo Haneda
  • Malaysia Airlines flight MAS150 to Jeddah

These Malaysia airline disruptions affected leisure travel, business movement, and religious travel alike.

Summary Table of All Flight Cancellations

Impact on Passengers

For travelers, these Asia flight cancellations resulted in missed connections, rebooking challenges, and longer journey times. Passengers on high-demand routes such as Southeast Asia–Australia, intra-ASEAN services, and Asia–Middle East corridors were particularly affected, as alternative flights were limited and often fully booked.

Broader Operational Takeaways

Several trends stand out from the data:

• A wide range of aircraft types were affected, from turboprops to long-haul widebody jets
• Both domestic and international routes experienced cancellations
• Disruptions occurred simultaneously across multiple countries

This pattern points to system-wide operational stress rather than isolated technical or airport-specific issues.

Outlook

As airlines work to stabilize schedules and rebuild operational buffers, Asia flight cancellations continue to highlight how interconnected regional air networks have become. Even a limited number of cancellations can create cascading effects across borders, making flexibility and clear communication essential for travelers navigating the current aviation environment.