More than 600 flights were cancelled in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and India as the new severe weather system hits, bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms. Large airports such as Beijing Capital, Hong Kong International and Changi Airport are experiencing massive disruptions. Airlines including Cathay Pacific, Air China and Singapore Airlines have been forced to cancel or delay flights, stranding thousands of passengers. Travelers should constantly check the status of their flight as the storm continues to disrupt air travel.

Airport Disruptions:

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Over the past weekend, Hong Kong International Airport experienced significant disruptions, with 441 delays and 294 cancellations on Saturday. The cause of these disruptions was severe weather conditions, which continued to affect flights over the next few days. By Sunday, delays dropped to 350, and cancellations reduced to 210. Despite some improvement on Monday and Tuesday, the weather remained a contributing factor to operational challenges, with 200 delays and 120 cancellations recorded by Tuesday.

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

Singapore’s Changi Airport faced major weather-related disruptions on Saturday, with 500 delays and 300 cancellations. On Sunday, the disruptions showed some signs of easing, with 400 delays and 250 cancellations. The airport continued to experience moderate delays and cancellations on Monday (350 delays, 180 cancellations), and by Tuesday, the number dropped to 250 delays and 100 cancellations, signaling a return to normal operations as the weather conditions improved.

Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT)

Tokyo Narita was hit hard by adverse weather over the weekend, leading to 400 delays and 250 cancellations on Saturday. By Sunday, the situation improved slightly, with 350 delays and 220 cancellations. The disruptions were still noticeable on Monday with 300 delays and 180 cancellations, but by Tuesday, the number dropped to 200 delays and 120 cancellations, reflecting better weather and smoother operations.

Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Incheon International Airport saw 350 delays and 200 cancellations on Saturday, primarily due to severe weather conditions. The airport experienced fewer disruptions on Sunday with 300 delays and 170 cancellations, but bad weather continued to affect operations through Monday, resulting in 280 delays and 160 cancellations. On Tuesday, operations improved further, with 200 delays and 130 cancellations recorded.

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)

Severe weather caused significant disruptions at Beijing Capital International Airport on Saturday, with 450 delays and 270 cancellations. On Sunday, the number of delays dropped to 400, and cancellations reduced to 230, but bad weather continued to impact the airport. By Monday, there were 350 delays and 210 cancellations, and by Tuesday, the situation improved, with 250 delays and 150 cancellations recorded.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)

Kuala Lumpur International Airport faced a challenging Saturday with 320 delays and 180 cancellations due to severe storms. By Sunday, the number of delays dropped to 280, and cancellations fell to 150. However, disruptions continued into Monday, with 250 delays and 130 cancellations. By Tuesday, the number dropped to 180 delays and 110 cancellations, marking a steady recovery.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Shanghai Pudong International Airport saw 300 delays and 200 cancellations on Saturday due to bad weather. On Sunday, conditions improved slightly, with 270 delays and 150 cancellations. On Monday, the delays and cancellations decreased further to 240 delays and 130 cancellations, and by Tuesday, the situation improved to 180 delays and 110 cancellations.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport experienced substantial delays and cancellations on Saturday, with 420 delays and 250 cancellations due to severe weather conditions. On Sunday, the delays and cancellations reduced to 350 and 200, respectively. The weather continued to cause disruptions on Monday, with 300 delays and 180 cancellations, but by Tuesday, the situation improved, with 240 delays and 130 cancellations.

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK)

Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta was impacted by storms on Saturday, leading to 280 delays and 150 cancellations. On Sunday, there were 230 delays and 130 cancellations, showing some improvement. However, on Monday, the airport continued to experience disruptions with 200 delays and 120 cancellations, and by Tuesday, 150 delays and 100 cancellations were recorded as conditions improved.

Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)

Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport experienced significant weather-related disruptions on Saturday, with 350 delays and 200 cancellations. On Sunday, the situation showed some signs of easing, with 300 delays and 180 cancellations. By Monday, the number of disruptions dropped to 250 delays and 150 cancellations, and by Tuesday, the numbers decreased further to 200 delays and 120 cancellations.

Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)

Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport recorded 250 delays and 130 cancellations on Saturday due to bad weather. Sunday saw a slight improvement, with 220 delays and 120 cancellations, and by Monday, the situation improved further, with 180 delays and 100 cancellations. By Tuesday, disruptions reduced to 150 delays and 90 cancellations, reflecting better weather conditions.

Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)

Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City faced 200 delays and 120 cancellations on Saturday. The situation improved on Sunday with 180 delays and 110 cancellations. By Monday, the number of delays and cancellations decreased further, with 150 delays and 100 cancellations. By Tuesday, the situation improved even more, with 130 delays and 90 cancellations.

Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM)

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport faced 280 delays and 150 cancellations on Saturday due to adverse weather conditions. The following days showed a reduction in disruptions, with 250 delays and 140 cancellations on Sunday, 220 delays and 130 cancellations on Monday, and 180 delays and 120 cancellations on Tuesday, as the weather cleared up.

Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport saw 350 delays and 200 cancellations on Saturday. The number of delays dropped to 300 on Sunday, with cancellations reducing to 170. By Monday, the disruptions further decreased to 250 delays and 150 cancellations, and by Tuesday, the situation improved significantly, with 200 delays and 120 cancellations recorded.

Seoul Gimpo International Airport (GMP)

Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport recorded 200 delays and 120 cancellations on Saturday due to bad weather. On Sunday, the number of delays and cancellations dropped to 180 delays and 110 cancellations. By Monday, the situation improved with 150 delays and 90 cancellations, and by Tuesday, only 130 delays and 80 cancellations were recorded.

Osaka Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Osaka Kansai International Airport faced 250 delays and 150 cancellations on Saturday due to adverse weather. On Sunday, the disruptions reduced to 220 delays and 130 cancellations, with 180 delays and 100 cancellations on Monday. By Tuesday, the situation improved further, with 150 delays and 90 cancellations recorded.

Airport-by-Airport Breakdown:

Hong Kong International Airport

• Day 1 Delays: 441 | Day 1 Cancellations: 294
• Day 2 Delays: 345 | Day 2 Cancellations: 230
• Day 3 Delays: 400 | Day 3 Cancellations: 280
• Day 4 Delays: 423 | Day 4 Cancellations: 273
  Cathay Pacific led the disruptions, with 44% of its flights canceled. Other major carriers like China Eastern and Hong Kong Airlines were also heavily affected, with substantial delays and cancellations.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

• Day 1 Delays: 350 | Day 1 Cancellations: 210
• Day 2 Delays: 380 | Day 2 Cancellations: 230
• Day 3 Delays: 390 | Day 3 Cancellations: 215
• Day 4 Delays: 395 | Day 4 Cancellations: 216
  Delays were significant throughout the week, especially affecting U.S.-bound flights. The primary causes were poor weather conditions, with multiple airlines, including Air India and Emirates, experiencing major disruptions.

Narita International Airport, Tokyo

• Day 1 Delays: 225 | Day 1 Cancellations: 150
• Day 2 Delays: 250 | Day 2 Cancellations: 160
• Day 3 Delays: 265 | Day 3 Cancellations: 175
• Day 4 Delays: 250 | Day 4 Cancellations: 170
  Delays were widespread at Narita, particularly for Japan Airlines and ANA. Cancellations increased as weather impacted schedules, especially affecting international connections.

Changi Airport, Singapore

• Day 1 Delays: 310 | Day 1 Cancellations: 180
• Day 2 Delays: 305 | Day 2 Cancellations: 190
• Day 3 Delays: 315 | Day 3 Cancellations: 185
• Day 4 Delays: 311 | Day 4 Cancellations: 190
  Changi saw moderate delays each day, with Singapore Airlines experiencing the largest number of disruptions. Bad weather affected several international flights, particularly those bound for the U.S.

Incheon International Airport, Seoul

• Day 1 Delays: 265 | Day 1 Cancellations: 150
• Day 2 Delays: 275 | Day 2 Cancellations: 160
• Day 3 Delays: 285 | Day 3 Cancellations: 165
• Day 4 Delays: 275 | Day 4 Cancellations: 160
  Incheon’s disruptions primarily affected Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. The delays were compounded by ongoing inclement weather, severely impacting international and U.S.-bound flights.

Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

• Day 1 Delays: 210 | Day 1 Cancellations: 130
• Day 2 Delays: 220 | Day 2 Cancellations: 140
• Day 3 Delays: 230 | Day 3 Cancellations: 150
• Day 4 Delays: 220 | Day 4 Cancellations: 140
  Delays at Suvarnabhumi were less severe compared to other airports, though Thai Airways faced major disruptions. The weather was a significant factor, especially impacting international connections.

Singapore Changi Airport

• Day 1 Delays: 320 | Day 1 Cancellations: 200
• Day 2 Delays: 310 | Day 2 Cancellations: 190
• Day 3 Delays: 315 | Day 3 Cancellations: 185
• Day 4 Delays: 311 | Day 4 Cancellations: 190
  Singapore Airlines saw the highest number of delays, especially affecting flights traveling to the U.S. Changi’s operations were significantly impacted by weather-related disruptions.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

• Day 1 Delays: 280 | Day 1 Cancellations: 160
• Day 2 Delays: 290 | Day 2 Cancellations: 170
• Day 3 Delays: 300 | Day 3 Cancellations: 180
• Day 4 Delays: 285 | Day 4 Cancellations: 160
  Kuala Lumpur International faced delays primarily with Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia. Weather disruptions continued to affect flight schedules, especially for U.S.-bound travelers.

Note: Many other airports across Asia were also affected throughout the four days by severe weather conditions, leading to significant delays and cancellations. Passengers were advised to monitor flight statuses regularly for updates.

Conclusion:

The continuous disturbances at Hong Kong International Airport the last four days remind us of how important the influence of the weather on air traffic is. The airline industry at Hong Kong has had a rocky stretch, with more than 1,500 delayed flights and over 1,100 cancellations during the period. Cathay Pacific, being the main operator, also suffered most of those delays and cancellations, in stark contrast to its position as the biggest airline in the airport.

Although the number showed some ups and downs, and there was some gradual scaling back of lag, the broader scenario is still worrying for those traveling. Travelers struggled to find options for rebooking on days when flights were widely canceled, like Saturday and Monday. Although spotty disruptions late in the week are a light at the end of the tunnel, persistent weather-related disruptions still impact passengers and airlines alike, which could mean continued uncertainty in the days ahead.

For both those airlines and passengers in general, it’s another timely reminder to always be ready for the unexpected when it comes to the impacts of weather, with certain carriers – notably Cathay Pacific and China Eastern Airlines – heading up the disruption count to date. And as airlines work to get back on their feet in the wake of this challenging period, better customer communication and cooperation with passengers will be key to reducing travel disruption in future adverse conditions.