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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

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Delays and Cancellations

Barcelona and Heathrow among airports hit by 932 disrupted flights across Europe

Europe recorded 932 disrupted flights on 28 April 2026, with Barcelona El Prat Airport hit hardest and London Heathrow Airport, Madrid Barajas Airport, Frankfurt Airport, and Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport also seeing major delays and cancellations. The disruption stretched across Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, and Sweden, leaving passengers to deal with longer waits, missed connections, and sudden schedule changes. The problems were driven by several overlapping issues, including the ongoing SAERCO air traffic control strike, Groundforce baggage-handling walk-outs at Spanish airports, Lufthansa's recovery from earlier strike action, and the closure of Santiago de Compostela Airport for runway work. Because the main causes were outside airline control, compensation is usually unlikely under EC 261, but airlines should still provide care and assistance, such as rerouting, refunds, food, and accommodation where needed.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt29 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland airport disruption cancels 34 flights and delays 272

On 27 April 2026, a network-wide disruption across Sydney Airport (SYD), Melbourne Airport (MEL), and Auckland Airport (AKL) led to 34 canceled flights and 272 delays in a single day, affecting Qantas, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, and regional services. The worst pressure came during the morning and early-evening peaks, leaving some passengers in customer-service lines for 3 to 5 hours, missing onward connections, or arranging overnight stays. Weather appears to have triggered the initial slowdown, but thin staffing and tightly packed aircraft schedules helped the disruption spread. Because the cause was mixed, passengers should check their rights individually, especially if their flight involved a route where EC 261 could apply.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt28 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

May be eligible

Philadelphia International Airport delays and cancellations affect 118 flights

A wave of delays at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) on 28 April 2026 disrupted 118 flights, including 115 delays and 3 cancellations, as the morning schedule slipped into the afternoon. American Airlines saw the biggest ripple effects, with Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and some regional services also running late. Routes to New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and London Heathrow were among those affected, leaving passengers facing crowded gates, missed connections, and long rebooking lines. Because the disruption appears tied to airspace congestion and traffic management limits rather than an airline-controlled problem, compensation remains uncertain, but travelers on affected flights should keep their documents and check their rights with AirHelp's free flight checker.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt28 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Chicago O'Hare weather ground stop causes 5,581 US delays and 353 cancellations

Severe weather over Chicago brought departures to a halt at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on 28 April 2026, and the disruption quickly spread through airline networks across the country. By late afternoon, airports and airlines were dealing with 5,581 delays and 353 cancellations, with Chicago O'Hare and Chicago Midway alone accounting for 1,408 delays and 272 cancellations, while Denver, Atlanta, Phoenix, Washington, Boston, Detroit, San Diego, and Seattle also saw knock-on disruption. Because the delays and cancellations were driven by weather outside the airline's control, compensation is unlikely, but airlines should still provide care and assistance such as rebooking or refunds, food and drinks during long waits, and overnight accommodation where needed.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt28 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

TSA staffing crisis causes 1,394 flight disruptions at US airports

Airports across the United States have been hit by a growing TSA staffing crisis since 14 February 2026, and by late morning on 21 March 2026 there had already been 1,394 disrupted flights across domestic arrivals and departures. Security lines stretched to more than 3 hours at George Bush Intercontinental Airport , while passengers at LaGuardia Airport were queuing into the car park before dawn. Because this disruption appears to stem from a government staffing problem rather than an airline issue, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely, although airlines should still provide care such as rebooking or refunds, meals, and accommodation where needed.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt27 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

May be eligible

Shanghai Pudong IT outage disrupts 308 flights across Asia

A ground-handling systems outage at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) on 26 April 2026 caused 279 delays and 29 cancellations, disrupting 308 flights across Asia. The biggest knock-on effects were felt at Shanghai Pudong, Dubai International Airport (DXB), and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), with Emirates facing departure queues of up to 75 minutes in Dubai and Flydubai retiming 4 South Asian departures. Although the IT failure was resolved within the day, tight aircraft rotations and crew limits kept the disruption moving through the network. Passengers on some EU or UK-linked routes may still be eligible for up to 600€ compensation under EC 261.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt27 Apr 2026

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Delays

May be eligible

Orlando International Airport delays disrupt 257 flights

At least 257 flights were delayed at Orlando International Airport on 27 April 2026 as operational congestion spread across the airport during a busy spring travel weekend. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, and Frontier Airlines were all affected, with delays beginning in the early-morning departure bank and continuing into the afternoon. If your trip was disrupted, your rights may depend on your route and the reason for the delay, but airlines may still need to provide care such as meals, vouchers, transportation, rebooking, or refunds. AirHelp's free flight checker can help you understand what applies to your journey before you rebook or head to the airport.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt27 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

May be eligible

KLM, easyJet, and Kuwait Airways cancel 278 flights at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

A major multi-airline breakdown at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) on 23 April 2026 saw KLM, easyJet, and Kuwait Airways cancel 278 flights while 9 more were significantly delayed. The disruption hit busy routes to Paris and London as well as long-haul services to New York and Dubai, leaving thousands of passengers facing long rebooking lines, overnight stays, and very limited spare seats out of Amsterdam.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt27 Apr 2026

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Cancellations

May be eligible

Flydubai and Air France cancellations at Istanbul Airport strand over 1,000 passengers

A rolling series of cancellations at Istanbul Airport (IST) was still disrupting travel on 22 April 2026, after Flydubai and Air France cut multiple daily services on the Istanbul-Dubai and Istanbul-Paris routes. The airport remained open, but the route cuts hit Istanbul's role as a major transfer point between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. With several flights a day removed and aircraft on these routes often carrying around 300 passengers, well over 1,000 travelers may already have been stranded. Because the disruption appears to involve both airline choices and airspace restrictions outside airline control, compensation isn't automatic, but passengers should still check their rights, keep receipts, and ask about rebooking, refunds, and care.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt23 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

May be eligible

Lufthansa cancels 20,000 flights as jet fuel shortage spreads worldwide

A global jet fuel shortage is pushing airlines to cut schedules and raise fees worldwide, with Lufthansa Group making the biggest move so far. It has announced 20,000 cancellations over the next 6 months, with 120 daily services already disappearing from schedules from 20 April 2026 and the first wave focused on Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport through 31 May 2026. KLM is also canceling 160 intra-European flights, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has cut 1,000 April services, and Air Canada is removing 4 daily Toronto to New York flights serving John F. Kennedy International Airport from 1 June 2026. Most of the cancellations are well in advance, and don't qualify for compensation. But if your flight is canceled less than 2 weeks before departure you may be entitled to up to €600 compensation under EU laws. In all cases, airlines still need to provide rerouting, refunds, and care if your trip is disrupted.Read our guide to the jet fuel shortage and your rights.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt23 Apr 2026

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Delays

Eligible

American Airlines 787 breaks down at Milan Malpensa, blocking Runway

Operations at Milan Malpensa Airport were disrupted on 21 April 2026 after American Airlines flight AA207, a Boeing 787-8 due to fly to Miami, suffered a technical fault while taxiing and blocked access to Runway 35R. Departures had to use a slower runway procedure, while delayed outbound flights held gates and created knock-on disruption for arrivals. Passengers on the grounded aircraft stayed on board while engineers assessed whether it could be restarted or would need towing equipment. Because the problem appears to involve an aircraft issue under the airline's control, passengers whose flights were canceled or delayed by more than 3 hours may be entitled to up to {{compensation_value}} compensation under EC 261.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt22 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Strait of Hormuz jet fuel crisis disrupts 3,400 flights as Lufthansa, Delta, Air Canada, and KLM cut routes

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has started to hit travelers across Europe and beyond, with around 3,400 flights canceled and more delays and diversions expected as airlines ration fuel and avoid closed Middle East airspace. Lufthansa, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have all announced schedule cuts, including Air Canada’s suspension of flights linking Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport from 1 June to 25 October. Air passengers affected should check with their airlines, who must provide care and assistance, including rebooking or refunds, meals, and accommodation where needed.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt22 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Storms and ATC shortages disrupt 1,680 flights across Europe in April 2026

Europe's air travel disruption has continued through April 2026 as Atlantic storms and air traffic control staffing shortages affected about 1,680 flights, with Munich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Barcelona El Prat among the worst-hit hubs. More than 1,130 flights have been delayed and about 550 canceled, while Lufthansa, KLM, Wizz Air, British Airways, easyJet, Air France, and Ryanair have all logged triple-digit disruption totals. For passengers, that's meant missed connections, long waits, and overnight stays, with knock-on effects spreading to Frankfurt Airport, Vienna International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Because the main causes are weather and air traffic control limits outside airline control, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely in most cases, but airlines should still provide care, rebooking, or refunds where applicable.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt22 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

780 flights disrupted across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, and Wellington airports

More than 780 flights were delayed or canceled on 20 April 2026 across Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, Brisbane Airport, Auckland Airport, and Wellington International Airport, hitting Qantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar. Packed terminals, long queues, and missed connections left travelers dealing with disruption well into the night, with rebooking backlogs expected to continue on 21 April. Devastating storms have hit New Zealand in the past week, while further problems were linked to staffing shortages, higher fuel costs, and reduced spare aircraft and crew, which made it harder for airlines to recover once delays started spreading. Passengers may be entitled to care, including food, drink and accommodation, as well as rerouting for canceled flights.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt21 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Severe weather triggers repeat ground stops at San Francisco International Airport

Severe spring storms have caused repeat disruption at San Francisco International Airport after the FAA issued a second ground stop on 20 April 2026, halting inbound traffic nationwide from 9:20 pm local time. An earlier weather event on 18 April delayed 342 arrivals and 287 departures, canceled 17 flights, and left 646 flight movements affected overall, with about 45,000 travelers caught in the backlog. Because the disruption was caused by severe weather outside the airline's control, compensation is usually unlikely. Airlines should still help with rebooking or refunds, meals, and accommodation if your delay stretches overnight.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt21 Apr 2026

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Delays and Cancellations

Storms delay 1,130 flights and cancel 550 at Munich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Barcelona El Prat

More than 1,130 delays and about 550 cancellations have hit European air travel in recent days, with Munich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Barcelona El Prat among the main pressure points. The disruption has spread to Frankfurt Airport and Vienna International Airport as aircraft and crews are repositioned, while KLM, Wizz Air, British Airways, easyJet, and Air France work through late departures, missed connections, and last-minute schedule changes. Because bad weather appears to be the main trigger, compensation is usually unlikely under EC 261. Even so, if your journey is affected, your airline should still help with rebooking or refunds, meals and refreshments, and hotel accommodation if you’re stranded overnight.

Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt21 Apr 2026

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