A total of 143 flight delays and 35 cancellations are rippling across Asia’s busiest aviation hubs, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded, scrambling for rebooking options, or stuck in terminal waiting areas with no clear timeline for departure. The disruptions span five countries and some of the region’s most heavily trafficked airports — and if you have a flight booked through any of the affected carriers today, this is what you need to know.
Airlines including El Al, Malindo Air, Batik Air, and SpiceJet are among the carriers managing the fallout, with scheduling conflicts cascading across Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and China. The scale of the disruption — nearly 180 total affected flights — points to a coordinated pressure across the region’s air travel network rather than isolated incidents at a single hub.
For travellers already at the airport or preparing to head there, the situation remains fluid. Ground staff at multiple airports are reportedly managing large volumes of affected passengers, and wait times for assistance are expected to be significant throughout the day.
What Is Happening Across Asia’s Airports Right Now
The disruptions are spread across major international and domestic hubs, with Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand together recording 18 total flight disruptions. That figure alone represents a meaningful share of daily operations at those airports, particularly during a period when regional leisure travel remains strong.
In Malaysia, Subang Airport is among the affected locations, with Malindo Air and Batik Air — both carriers operating out of the Malaysian market — dealing with delays that are backing up schedules for connecting routes across Southeast Asia. Indonesia’s capital hub in Jakarta is also caught up in the disruption, adding pressure to one of the busiest aviation corridors in the region.
Further north, Mumbai in India and Shanghai in China round out the list of significantly affected cities, with SpiceJet managing disruptions on the Indian side and broader scheduling conflicts affecting China-linked routes. El Al, Israel’s national carrier, is also listed among the affected airlines — a notable inclusion given its longer-haul routes that connect the Middle East to Asian destinations.
A Breakdown of the Flight Disruptions by Location
| Country | Affected Airports / Cities | Airlines Involved |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Bangkok, Phuket | Multiple carriers |
| Malaysia | Subang | Malindo Air, Batik Air |
| Indonesia | Jakarta | Multiple carriers |
| India | Mumbai | SpiceJet |
| China | Shanghai | Multiple carriers |
| Regional / Long-haul | Various | El Al |
Key figures confirmed from the source:
- 143 flight delays recorded across the affected network
- 35 flight cancellations confirmed across the same period
- 18 total disruptions in Bangkok and Phuket alone
- Five countries affected: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and China
Who Is Actually Affected — and How Badly
The phrase “hundreds of travellers affected” is easy to read past, but the practical reality for those passengers is significant. A cancelled flight doesn’t just mean a later departure — it can mean missed connections, lost hotel bookings, disrupted business meetings, and hours spent navigating airline rebooking systems that are rarely designed for high-volume disruption events.
Travellers connecting through Bangkok or Jakarta face particular exposure. Both cities serve as regional transfer hubs, meaning a delay on an inbound flight can cascade into a missed connection on an entirely separate carrier — one that may not offer any compensation or rebooking assistance because the original disruption happened upstream.
Passengers on SpiceJet out of Mumbai and those booked with Malindo Air or Batik Air through Subang are advised to check their flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport. Showing up for a delayed or cancelled flight without advance notice only adds to the congestion at already-stretched terminal check-in and customer service counters.
For El Al passengers, the concern is slightly different. Long-haul cancellations carry heavier consequences — alternative routing options are fewer, and rebooking on international routes can take days rather than hours.
Why This Kind of Disruption Spreads So Quickly
Asia’s aviation network is deeply interconnected. Airlines share routes, codeshare agreements, and ground-handling resources across borders in ways that mean a scheduling conflict at one hub doesn’t stay contained for long. When multiple carriers experience disruptions simultaneously — as appears to be the case here — the knock-on effects compound quickly.
Airports like Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta handle tens of thousands of passengers daily. Even a modest percentage of delayed or cancelled flights translates into thousands of affected individuals and significant strain on airport services, from baggage handling to immigration queues.
The causes behind today’s specific disruptions have not been confirmed in the available reporting. Operational scheduling conflicts are cited as a contributing factor, but the precise trigger — whether weather, technical issues, crew availability, or air traffic control constraints — has not been specified in
What Affected Passengers Should Do Now
If you are booked on any of the affected carriers out of Bangkok, Subang, Jakarta, Mumbai, or Shanghai, the most practical steps are straightforward:
- Check your flight status directly on the airline’s official app or website before travelling to the airport
- Contact your airline’s customer service line early — wait times will increase as the day progresses
- If your flight is cancelled, ask specifically about your rights to rebooking, meal vouchers, and accommodation under the airline’s conditions of carriage
- If you have travel insurance, document everything — photos of departure boards, written confirmation of delays or cancellations, and any out-of-pocket expenses
- For connecting flights on separate bookings, contact the second carrier immediately to flag the risk of a missed connection
The situation across all five countries is described as ongoing, and the total number of affected flights — 178 combined delays and cancellations — suggests the disruption will continue to develop through the remainder of the travel day. Updates from individual airlines are expected as ground operations teams work through the backlog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many flights have been delayed and cancelled across Asia today?
According to available reporting, 143 flights have been delayed and 35 have been cancelled, bringing the total number of disrupted flights to 178.
Which airlines are affected by these disruptions?
El Al, Malindo Air, Batik Air, and SpiceJet are among the named carriers, along with several other airlines operating across the affected region.
Which countries and airports are seeing the most disruption?
Disruptions are confirmed across Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket), Malaysia (Subang), Indonesia (Jakarta), India (Mumbai), and China (Shanghai). Bangkok and Phuket together account for 18 of the total disruptions.
What caused the flight delays and cancellations?
The specific cause has not been confirmed in the available reporting. Operational scheduling conflicts have been cited, but no single trigger such as weather or technical failure has been identified.
What should I do if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Contact your airline directly before going to the airport, document all disruptions for insurance purposes, and ask your carrier about rebooking rights and compensation under their conditions of carriage.
Is El Al affected even though it is not an Asian carrier?
Yes, El Al is listed among the affected airlines. The carrier operates long-haul routes that connect to Asian destinations, making it subject to disruptions at the affected regional hubs.
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