448 cancellations and 2,942 delays hit airports across India, China, Japan, and the UAE

Disruption overview

A severe day of disruption swept across Asia on 13 May 2026, with 448 cancellations and 2,942 delays recorded across more than 30 airports in India, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. India absorbed the biggest wave of delays, while China led the region for cancellations, and airlines including IndiGo, China Eastern Airlines, Air India, AirAsia, and Japan Airlines were all affected. With no single cause confirmed, airlines have been steering passengers toward mobile apps and call centers for rebooking while crews and aircraft are repositioned. If your flight was disrupted, compensation may depend on the final cause and your route, but airlines should still provide care and assistance while delays continue.

Disruption details

Air travel across Asia was hit by 448 cancellations and 2,942 delays on 13 May 2026, making it the region's most severe single day of disruption so far this year. For passengers, this meant missed connections, longer waits, and crowded rebooking lines at more than 30 airports in India, China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.

India carried the heaviest delay burden. Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi logged 350 delays and 6 cancellations, while Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport reported 232 delays and 4 cancellations, and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport saw 182 delays and 4 cancellations. Among airlines, IndiGo recorded 386 delays and 7 cancellations, with Air India on 129 delays, Air India Express on 132 delays, and SpiceJet on 55 delays and 7 cancellations.

In China, the disruption centered more heavily on cancellations. Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport led the region with 42 cancellations and 181 delays, followed by Shanghai Pudong International Airport with 22 cancellations and 171 delays, and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with 24 cancellations and 144 delays. Shenzhen Airlines alone canceled 84 flights, the highest airline cancellation total of the day, while Air China cut 73 and China Eastern Airlines logged 65 cancellations and 264 delays. Both Shanghai airports and multiple Beijing, Chengdu, and Hangzhou gateways were affected at the same time, making recovery harder across the network.

Japan also saw persistent disruption. Tokyo Haneda Airport recorded 112 delays and 2 cancellations, while smaller but sharp interruptions were reported at Osaka Itami, Tokunoshima, and Yakushima. Japan Airlines logged 60 delays, All Nippon Airways 30, and regional operators ANA Wings and Skymark were also affected.

Southeast Asia's main pressure points were Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Kuala Lumpur recorded 96 delays and 11 cancellations, while Suvarnabhumi logged 94 delays and 2 cancellations, with knock-on disruption at Don Mueang and Penang. AirAsia canceled 16 flights and delayed 29, while Malindo Air and Thai Airways were also dealing with rolling schedule slips.

In the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, Dubai International Airport had 67 delays and 6 cancellations, and nearby Sharjah added 18 delays and 6 cancellations. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah reported 56 delays and 9 cancellations, while Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport saw 52 delays and 1 cancellation. Emirates, FlyDubai, and Saudia were among the airlines struggling to stay on schedule.

No single cause has been confirmed. Instead, the disruption appears to be linked to a mix of regional operational pressures, including air traffic management constraints, possible weather systems, and knock-on effects spreading through airline networks.

Airlines have been urging passengers to use mobile apps and call centers for updates and rebooking, as airport service desks have been stretched by the volume of affected travelers. Carriers are also repositioning crews and aircraft in an effort to steady operations overnight and into 14 May 2026.

Some of the biggest pressure points were:

• Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded 350 delays and 6 cancellations.

• Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport logged 42 cancellations and 181 delays.

• Shanghai Pudong International Airport reported 22 cancellations and 171 delays.

• Tokyo Haneda Airport saw 112 delays and 2 cancellations.

• Kuala Lumpur International Airport recorded 96 delays and 11 cancellations.

Precise passenger numbers haven't been released, but the scale suggests hundreds of thousands of travelers were caught up in delays or cancellations. Because the underlying cause still hasn't been formally identified, whether compensation applies will depend on the final reason for the disruption and the route you were flying. Even so, airlines should still provide care and assistance during long delays or cancellations, which can include rerouting or refunds, food and drinks, and accommodation when an overnight wait is involved. If your flight was affected, you can use AirHelp's free flight checker to understand what your rights may be.

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