Some 100 flights were cancelled mostly in the Philippines as Typhoon Co-May pummeled parts of the Philippines including Manila, La Union, and Ilocos Sur, causing widespread flooding, airport delays, and school cancellations – and its impacts reverberated across the major air routes in Asia covering China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the beyond. The storm, which strengthened overnight for a force of a typhoon, was packing sustained winds of up to 75 mph and aggravated the effect of days of monsoon rains that have already killed at least 19 people and displacing thousands. Even as Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport has recorded more than 170 delays and continuing cancellations of flights, airlines in the region have scrambled to reroute flights, leaving passengers stranded and air traffic snarled in East and Southeast Asia.

Growing Impact Across the Philippines

Upgraded from a tropical storm to a typhoon late Wednesday, Co-May is the second major weather system to hit the country this week. It follows days of relentless monsoon rains that have already killed at least 19 people and left 11 more missing since July 18, according to the national disaster agency. The typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour, was forecast to make landfall between the provinces of La Union and Ilocos Sur by early Friday morning.

In response, the Philippine government suspended classes across Luzon for both Thursday and Friday, citing ongoing risks from flash flooding, strong winds, and infrastructure damage. In Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, tens of thousands of residents have already been evacuated, many of them rescued from waist-deep floodwaters in residential neighborhoods.

Widespread Disruption at Manila International Airport

Travel has also been severely affected, especially at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, the country’s busiest aviation hub. As of Wednesday, the airport recorded 173 flight delays and 14 cancellations, according to civil aviation data. PAL Express alone saw 12 cancellations, affecting 8% of its total operations, along with 14 delayed flights. Other carriers such as China Eastern, All Nippon Airways, Philippines AirAsia, and Cebu Pacific also reported notable disruption.

While the Philippines’ Civil Aviation Authority initially reported around 70 domestic and international flights cancelled, airline data shows the number is continuing to rise as weather conditions deteriorate. For Thursday and Friday, projections indicate over 100 flights may face cancellation or delay, with ripple effects being felt in Hong Kong, mainland China, and several other Asian destinations.

Among today’s global figures, China Eastern cancelled 28 flights, while Air China delayed more than 500—an indicator of how the storm’s influence is extending well beyond Philippine borders.

Thousands Still in Evacuation Shelters

In Metro Manila, rescue operations remain active, and thousands of evacuees are still sheltering in temporary centers. “We cannot send them home yet because it is still raining and some typhoons are still expected to affect the country,” a local rescue coordinator said, noting that conditions are too unstable to ensure safe returns.

With the twin systems of Typhoon Co-May and Tropical Storm Francisco swirling on either side of the archipelago, authorities are bracing for prolonged weather disturbances. Tropical Storm Francisco, located roughly 735 kilometers off the Philippines’ east coast, is currently headed toward northern Taiwan, but forecasters do not expect it to collide with Typhoon Co-May.

Asian Travel Gridlocked by Chain Reaction

Outside of the Philippines, major Asian air hubs are also reporting delays and cancellations as storm bands disrupt flight paths across the region. Airlines flying routes to and from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have all been affected. Hong Kong Express Airways, KLM, Jetstar Japan, and Vietnam Airlines all posted moderate delays linked to re-routing and storm avoidance procedures.

The cascading effects of the storm have left thousands of passengers stranded across Asia, many of whom face hours of delay or last-minute rebookings. Airlines are advising travelers to check their flight status in real-time and anticipate extended wait times as weather conditions evolve.

The Road Ahead

As Typhoon Co-May edges closer to landfall, Philippine disaster authorities are on high alert. Emergency services remain active, while airports, schools, and local government offices brace for continued flooding and transport paralysis. Travelers across Asia are being urged to plan ahead, as ripple effects from the storm continue to unfold well beyond Philippine airspace.