Airlines across Asia experienced one of the worst days of disruptions on Monday, as the day after, almost 1,470 flights were delayed and 67 were cancelled across 13 major airports in India, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, the UAE and Singapore.
The worst hit was Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, which saw 216 flights delayed and 13 cancelled, followed by the airport in Bangkok with 199 delayed and Haneda Airport in Tokyo with 182 delays. Delhi saw 176 delayed flights and five cancellations, while Mumbai saw 108 delayed flights and five cancellations, and Bengaluru saw 76 delayed flights and four cancellations.
The situation was brought about primarily by the current conflict in West Asia. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has effectively made much of the airspace across the region, especially on long-haul flights, restricted for flights, and particularly for trans-Atlantic flights.
Additionally, rising fuel prices brought about by the war in the Middle East have put further pressure on the operations of the carriers. Airlines in India have cancelled more than 10,000 flights since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28th. From roughly 300-350 flights to the Middle East, Indian carriers are currently operating just 80-90 per day.
Major airlines globally, that have been severely affected, are Batik Air, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, ANA, Lion Air and in India, IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet. Passengers flying during this period have been advised to verify flight status with airlines before departing for the airport, get in touch with the airlines regarding alternative flight options if needed and reach the airport at least two hours in advance.