Thousands of passengers were left stranded across Asia on February 22, 2026, following widespread flight disruptions. Several major aviation hubs were impacted, causing inconvenience to travellers across multiple regions.
A total of 1,804 flight disruptions were reported during the day. This included 1,721 delays and 83 cancellations, highlighting the scale of the operational issues.
Airports across Southeast Asia, India, China, and the Middle East were among the worst affected. Congestion and operational challenges led to significant delays throughout the day.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport recorded the highest number of delays. It was followed by Bangkok’s Don Mueang and Singapore Changi.
In India, flight operations were disrupted at Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata. Dubai also reported operational delays.
Low cost carriers were the most affected by the disruptions. AirAsia and its affiliates alone accounted for over 300 delays across regional hubs.
Thai AirAsia and Lion Air also faced heavy operational strain. Among full service airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Air India, and Malaysia Airlines reported scattered delays but fewer cancellations.
Airports in Indonesia and China recorded higher cancellation ratios. In contrast, Southeast Asian hubs mainly struggled with congestion related delays.
Authorities advised passengers to regularly check flight status updates. Travellers were also asked to stay in touch with airlines and retain receipts for possible compensation claims.
Such large scale disruptions have become increasingly common over the years. However, aviation authorities are yet to find a permanent solution to address these recurring issues.
