Thousands of Travellers Grounded in China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia as Asia is Paralyzed by 1,461 Delayed Flights and 93 Cancellations at Yining, Mumbai, Jakarta, Fukuoka, Kuala Lumpur and more, Impacting China Express, IndiGo, Batik Air, ANA Wings, AirAsia and Several other Carriers, New Update

A massive wave of flight disruptions is currently sweeping across Asia, leaving thousands of travellers stranded in terminal lounges. Heavy operational strain has officially hit major aviation hubs in China, India and Malaysia. Consequently, scheduling boards now display a staggering 1,461 delays and 93 total cancellations. This regional paralysis stems from a sudden backlog affecting both international gateways and smaller regional strips. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia faces significant hurdles as Batik Air manages high cancellation rates in Jakarta and Makassar. Meanwhile, the northern routes through Japan remain equally unstable. Japan Air Commuter has already been forced to scrap dozens of flights, isolating several island communities. Passengers across the continent now face long waits as ground crews struggle to restore order. This report investigates the specific data behind these groundings. It highlights the carriers and cities currently bearing the brunt of this logistical crisis.
Major Airports Affected
The logistical strain has been felt most acutely at high-capacity international gateways. In India, the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai faced an overwhelming volume of delays. While cancellations remained low at these sites, the cumulative delay count exceeded 500 flights, creating a massive backlog for ground handling and terminal services.
In Southeast Asia, the situation in Indonesia was particularly concentrated at Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International, where 18 cancellations and 192 delays were logged. Further east, Sultan Hasanuddin International and Lombok International also reported notable interruptions. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur International stood out as a primary point of concern; although only 7 flights were cancelled, a massive 470 delays were recorded, representing the highest single-airport delay count in the region today.
Regional connectivity in China was also hit hard. Yining Airport emerged as a focal point of the crisis with 13 cancellations and 18 delays, while Hotan, Liuzhou and Aksu all reported consistent disruptions. In Japan, the impact was felt across a string of airports including Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Yakushima and Tsushima, where a mix of cancellations and delays halted the smooth flow of domestic and short-haul international traffic.
Impacted Airlines
The operational burden of these delays and cancellations has been distributed across several prominent carriers.
| Airline | Total Cancellations | Total Delays |
| AirAsia | 7 | 245 |
| ANA Wings | 6 | 4 |
| Batik Air | 18 | 56 |
| Chengdu Airlines | 16 | 6 |
| China Express Airlines | 9 | 12 |
| Garuda Indonesia | 7 | 13 |
| IndiGo | 4 | 208 |
| Japan Air Commuter | 21 | 11 |
| Scoot | 1 | 0 |
| SpiceJet | 2 | 32 |
| TransNusa | 2 | 9 |
In China, China Express Airlines and Chengdu Airlines bore the brunt of the schedule changes, particularly in the Xinjiang region. China Express Airlines recorded a total of 9 cancellations and 12 delays across multiple locations, while Chengdu Airlines saw 16 cancellations and 6 delays.
In India, the low-cost giant IndiGo was heavily impacted, particularly at the Delhi and Mumbai hubs, racking up 4 cancellations and a combined 208 delays. SpiceJet also faced challenges in Mumbai with 2 cancellations and 32 delays.
The maritime and island geographies of Indonesia and Japan saw their primary carriers struggling to maintain punctuality. Batik Air was significantly affected, reporting 18 cancellations and 56 delays across Jakarta, Makassar and Lombok. Garuda Indonesia and TransNusa also faced minor setbacks. In Japan, regional specialists Japan Air Commuter and ANA Wings were forced to scrap a combined 27 flights, with Japan Air Commuter specifically seeing 21 cancellations.
Finally, in Malaysia, AirAsia faced a monumental task in managing its fleet at Kuala Lumpur International. With 7 cancellations and 245 delays, the carrier’s network was stretched thin, impacting a vast number of travellers reliant on the low-cost model for regional transit.
Beyond these specific figures, delays were being experienced by several other airlines.
Probable Impact on Local Tourism
The sheer volume of grounded travellers is expected to have a tangible impact on the local tourism sectors within these nations. In India and Malaysia, where the delay counts reached into the hundreds, the “knock-on” effect for hotel bookings and pre-arranged tours is likely to be substantial. When nearly 500 flights are delayed in a single hub like Kuala Lumpur, the local hospitality infrastructure is often forced to absorb thousands of unexpected guests, while simultaneously dealing with “no-shows” at destination cities.
In China, the disruptions at regional airports like Yining and Hotan may dampen the influx of visitors to these burgeoning tourism spots. Similarly, in Indonesia, the cancellations in Lombok—a premier holiday destination—directly interrupt the flow of international and domestic tourists, potentially leading to a loss in revenue for local resorts and transport providers.
The situation in Japan is equally sensitive. Because the cancellations were focused on regional airports like Yakushima and Tsushima, remote communities that rely heavily on air links for tourism and essential supplies are disproportionately affected. When 8 flights are cancelled at a small terminal like Yakushima, it can represent a significant portion of the day’s total visitor arrivals, immediately impacting local businesses.
What Affected Passengers Can Do Now
For those currently caught in the midst of this regional paralysis across Asia, several steps are recommended by aviation experts to mitigate the inconvenience.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Passengers are advised to monitor official airline apps and airport flight boards constantly. In hubs like Jakarta or Mumbai, where delays are high, boarding gates can change rapidly as the schedule is re-organised.
- Documentation: All travellers should ensure they keep digital and physical copies of their boarding passes and any communication received from the airline. This is essential for any future insurance claims or compensation requests.
- Alternative Routing: In instances of cancellation, particularly with carriers like Batik Air or China Express, passengers should enquire about being re-routed through secondary hubs, though availability may be limited given the widespread nature of the disruption.
- Communication: It is vital to stay in touch with accommodation providers at the destination. Many hotels in India, China, Malaysia, Japan and Indonesia have flexible policies regarding late check-ins if the delay is verified by an airline statement.
As the day progresses, the focus for these airlines and airports remains on clearing the backlog of 1,461 delayed flights. While the immediate priority is safety and the re-accommodation of stranded travellers, the long-term goal will be restoring the integrity of the Asian aviation network.
-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.
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