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Disruptions Weekly Overview

High

Boston

~ 15,497 Flights affected

High

Chicago

~ 9,697 Flights affected

High

Dallas

~ 7,897 Flights affected

High

San Diego

~ 7,897 Flights affected

High

Indianapolis

~ 7,897 Flights affected

High

Philadelphia

~ 7,600 Flights affected

High

Newark

~ 7,600 Flights affected

High

New York

~ 7,600 Flights affected

High

Washington

~ 7,000 Flights affected

Medium

Frankfurt

~ 1,661 Flights affected

Medium

Paris

~ 1,661 Flights affected

Medium

Riyadh

~ 1,625 Flights affected

Medium

Dubai

~ 1,625 Flights affected

Medium

Doha

~ 1,625 Flights affected

Low

Charleroi

~ 910 Flights affected

Low

Denver

~ 650 Flights affected

Low

Lisbon

~ 500 Flights affected

Low

Porto

~ 500 Flights affected

Low

Faro

~ 500 Flights affected

Low

Tokyo

~ 275 Flights affected

Low

Chiba

~ 275 Flights affected

Low

Phoenix

~ 270 Flights affected

Low

Edinburgh

~ 140 Flights affected

Low

Glasgow

~ 140 Flights affected

Low

Newcastle

~ 140 Flights affected

Low

Patna

~ 2 Flights affected

Low

Delhi

~ 2 Flights affected

Low

New Delhi

~ 2 Flights affected

Search articles

Delays and Cancellations

Chicago O'Hare hit hardest as 7,897 US flight delays pile up

Flight delays surged across the United States on 17 September 2026, reaching 7,897 by Thursday evening, with Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Boston Logan International Airport among the hardest-hit airports. Chicago O'Hare saw more than 1,400 delays and nearly 200 cancellations, while heavy rain, flash-flood risk, runway construction in Boston, and traffic controls in San Diego all added to the nationwide backlog of nearly 800 cancellations. Because the main causes were outside airlines' direct control, cash compensation is usually unlikely, but passengers should still expect help with rebooking, refunds, and care during long delays, and AirHelp's free flight checker can help you understand what applies to your trip.

Carmina Davis18 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Thunderstorms at Phoenix Sky Harbor delay 262 flights and cancel 8

Thunderstorms over Phoenix forced a temporary FAA ground stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on 16 September 2026, and the disruption carried on long after inbound traffic restarted. By the end of the day, PHX had recorded 262 delays and 8 cancellations, with knock-on effects possible into early Thursday as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews. Because the problem was severe weather rather than something the airline could control, compensation is usually unlikely. Still, affected passengers should be offered rerouting or refunds after a cancellation and care during longer delays.

Carmina Davis17 Sept 2026

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Delays

FAA ground stop at Chicago O'Hare causes nearly 1,800 flight delays

A brief FAA ground stop at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on 19 May 2026 turned into one of the biggest single-day delay events of the US summer season, with nearly 1,800 delays by the end of the day. Thunderstorms cut the airport's arrival and departure capacity, holding some flights to Chicago at their origin airports and slowing departures already at O'Hare. United Airlines and American Airlines were hit especially hard because both carriers depend heavily on the airport for aircraft rotations, crews, and connecting passengers. If your trip was affected, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely for EU-bound or EU-origin flights because the disruption was caused by weather and air traffic restrictions outside the airline's control, but airlines should still provide care and assistance during long waits.

Carmina Davis17 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Charleroi Airport overnight air traffic control strike could disrupt 832 flights

An overnight air traffic control strike at Brussels South Charleroi Airport in Belgium is set to cause repeated disruption from 16 September to 10 October 2026. Up to 832 flight movements and as many as 300,000 travelers could be affected as walkouts disrupt overnight operations from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am across 24 consecutive nights. Late arrivals and early departures face the biggest risk because aircraft and crews may be left out of position for the next morning's schedule. Compensation is unlikely under EC 261 when disruption comes directly from an air traffic control strike, but airlines should still offer rebooking or refunds, plus food, drinks, and accommodation where needed.

Carmina Davis17 Sept 2026

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Delays

Weather disruption causes 3,900 flight delays across Jakarta, Tokyo, and Delhi

Around 3,900 flight delays have affected Jakarta, Tokyo, and Delhi after volcanic ash in Indonesia and repeated severe weather in Japan and India slowed operations across some of Asia's busiest airports. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has been hit hardest, while Haneda Airport and Narita International Airport have also seen repeated delays, diversions, and rescheduling. For passengers, that can mean missed connections, crowded terminals, baggage issues, and knock-on disruption for long-haul flights to Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Because the main causes are weather-related and outside the airline's control, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide care and assistance during long waits, including food, refreshments, and accommodation if needed.

Josh Arnfield16 Sept 2026

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Cancellations

Etna ash halts arrivals at Catania–Fontanarossa Airport and disrupts flights

Flights at Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) in Sicily were still badly disrupted on 15 September 2026 after Mount Etna sent volcanic ash into the surrounding airspace and forced the airport to halt all arrivals the day before. The restriction was caused by ash fall alone, and although the airport planned to keep the inbound ban in place until 4:00 pm local time on Monday, many passengers were still waiting on Tuesday for updates on departures, cancellations, and rerouting. Because this was a natural event outside the airline's control, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely in most cases, but airlines should still provide care, rebooking, or refunds where needed.

Josh Arnfield16 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai delays affect 172 flights in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Rolling delays have been affecting passengers flying with Emirates, Etihad Airways, and flydubai through Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport since the start of September 2026, as the airlines reroute around higher-risk airspace during heightened regional security tensions. On 13 September 2026, 172 flights arriving and departing across Dubai and Abu Dhabi were recorded late, and flydubai also canceled 2 Dubai-Bahrain rotations as longer routings put pressure on tight connection banks. Because the disruption is linked to security-related airspace restrictions, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide care and assistance during longer waits, and AirHelp's free flight checker can help you understand what may apply to your trip.

Josh Arnfield16 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

NATS software failure disrupts 2,956 flights across UK airports and Canary Islands routes

A software failure at NATS on 15 September 2026 disrupted flights across British airspace and hit routes between the United Kingdom and Spain's Canary Islands especially hard. At least 2,956 flights were affected, with cancellations and delays continuing into 16 September at London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, London Luton Airport, Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Newcastle Airport, Bristol Airport, and Glasgow Airport. easyJet, British Airways, KLM, Eurowings, and Ryanair were among the airlines caught up in the disruption. Because the problem came from air traffic control rather than the airlines, compensation is unlikely under EC 261, but carriers still need to provide care, rebooking, or refunds where needed.

Josh Arnfield16 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Eligible

Congonhas and Viracopos problems disrupt 345 flights across Brazil

Operational problems at Congonhas Airport (CGH) and Viracopos Airport (VCP) triggered nationwide disruption across Brazil on Monday, with 141 cancellations and 204 delays recorded by midday. A TAM Airlines check-in system failure at Congonhas slowed passenger processing, while a disabled freighter blocked Viracopos’ only main runway and forced airlines to reroute travelers to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Congonhas. Azul Linhas Aéreas also suspended all arrivals and departures at Viracopos until at least 3:00 pm local time. For flights covered by EC 261, passengers may be entitled to up to {{compensation_value}} compensation if their flight was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Brazil’s ANAC allows airlines to ban unruly passengers from domestic flights for up to 1 year

Brazil has brought a new ANAC rule into force that lets airlines suspend unruly passengers from regular domestic flights for 6 or 12 months, depending on how serious the onboard incident was. The measure, Resolution 800/2026, took effect on 14 September 2026 and covers offenses such as violence against crew, sexual assault, carrying or handling weapons or explosive devices, attempts to enter the cockpit without permission, and dangerous damage to safety equipment. Airlines must explain the incident and provide a way to appeal, while carriers will share passenger details so the suspension applies across domestic services. The rule does not directly create delay or cancellation compensation rights, but if your journey is separately disrupted, it’s still worth checking what support or compensation may apply.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Eligible

Gulf airport disruption affects 560 flights at Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh

A sharp one-day breakdown in airline operations disrupted 560 flights across Gulf airports on 14 September 2026, with Dubai International Airport and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah among the hardest hit. The region recorded 490 delays and 70 cancellations overall, while Riyadh, Abha, Sharjah, Kuwait City, and Amman also saw significant schedule problems that risked knock-on delays for connecting passengers. Because the disruption was linked to airline scheduling and capacity issues rather than external events, some travelers on flights covered by EC 261 or similar rules may be entitled to up to {{compensation_value}} compensation, as well as care such as meals, accommodation, rerouting, or a refund depending on the journey.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

NATS software failure disrupts over 2,000 flights between the UK and Canary Islands

Flights between the United Kingdom and Spain's Canary Islands were heavily affected after a software failure at NATS on 15 September 2026 forced a nationwide slowdown in UK air traffic. By 5:00 pm UK time, at least 425 flights had been canceled, while wider industry data pointed to more than 2,000 disrupted services and continued knock-on problems into 16 September. Routes involving London Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol, Glasgow, and Tenerife were among the worst hit, and Ryanair later said around 150,000 of its customers were affected. Because the outage stemmed from air traffic control rather than the airlines themselves, compensation is usually unlikely under EC 261, but airlines should still provide rerouting, care, and support.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

1,578 delays and 106 cancellations hit 22 Asian hubs

A fresh wave of disruption across Asia's air network on 14 September 2026 led to 1,578 delayed flights and 106 cancellations across 22 major hubs. Storms and monsoon rain reduced airport capacity, while volcanic ash, haze, and restricted air corridors added more pressure to already busy schedules. Although most flights still operated, missed connections, longer lines, and slower rebooking made for a difficult day for many passengers. Because the main causes were outside airlines' control, cash compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide care, assistance, and rerouting or refunds where required.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Nearly 3,000 US flight delays and 118 cancellations hit major hubs

A fresh wave of disruption across the United States produced 2,919 delays and 118 cancellations in a recent 24-hour period, with the heaviest pressure falling on major connecting airports such as Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Miami International Airport, and William P. Hobby Airport. The latest spike underlines how quickly weather, air traffic control staffing shortages, and aging systems can spread delays across the wider network, prompting the FAA to keep temporary scheduling relief in place at LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. If your trip was affected, compensation is usually unlikely when the cause sits outside the airline's control, but your airline should still offer rebooking, refunds, and care during a long wait.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Mallorca storms cause over 40 cancellations and hundreds of delays at Palma de Mallorca Airport

Severe thunderstorms over Mallorca on 9 September 2026 disrupted operations at Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), causing more than 40 cancellations and several hundred delays as lightning, torrential rain, and shifting winds interrupted landings, departures, and ground handling. Knock-on disruption continued on 10 and 11 September while airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews left out of place by the shutdown, although operations were largely back to normal by 13 September. Because severe weather is outside an airline's control, compensation is usually unlikely when flights are delayed or canceled for this reason. Airlines should still provide care such as rebooking, meals, refreshments, and accommodation when needed, so it's worth keeping your travel documents and receipts if your journey was affected.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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Delays

More than 170 flights delayed at Dubai International and Zayed International airports

More than 170 flights were delayed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Zayed International Airport (AUH) on Sunday, affecting both arrivals and departures across the UAE's two main hubs. Dubai saw the larger share of disruption, while Abu Dhabi also recorded delays on Etihad Airways long-haul and regional services, and some flights were held for more than 2 hours, causing missed connections for some travelers. The delays were linked to operational pressure, crew and aircraft rotation challenges, and airspace restrictions tied to regional security concerns. Because those wider issues are usually outside an airline's control, compensation is likely to be limited, although airlines should still provide care and assistance during longer waits.

Matteo Floris15 Sept 2026

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