Severe Weather Causes Widespread Flight Delays Across Asia

Severe weather conditions, including thunderstorms, hailstorms, and fog, have caused widespread disruption to air travel across Asia, resulting in thousands of flight cancellations and delays at major aviation hubs.

The disruptions have impacted multiple countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, India, and the United Arab Emirates. Reports indicate that thousands of passengers have been grounded in major cities such as Tokyo, Beijing, Jakarta, and Dubai.

Impact on Chinese Aviation Hubs

In China, severe thunderstorms and hailstorms caused significant operational challenges on March 30, 2026, specifically at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. These weather events affected thousands of travelers within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

At Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, more than 120 inbound and outbound flights were canceled and over 390 flights were delayed as of 2:30 pm on March 30, 2026. Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport reported 90 cancellations, more than 310 delays, and seven diversions.

Flights connecting to and from North, Central, and East China were particularly affected. In response, China Southern Airlines issued a large-scale flight delay yellow alert in Guangzhou, effective from 9:30 am to 11:59 pm on March 30, 2026.

The meteorological department in Guangzhou had previously issued an orange thunderstorm alert for all 11 districts and an orange hail alert for nine districts, including Yuexiu, on the morning of March 30, 2026, warning that thunderstorm conditions would persist into the following day.

Regional Disruptions and Airline Impact

The air travel chaos extended beyond China, affecting a wide array of international and regional carriers. Airlines reported disruptions including Air China, Air India, Shenzhen Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA Wings, Batik Air, IndiGo, Saudia, Korean Air, and Qatar Airways.

Data regarding the scale of the disruptions varies across reports. One account indicates that 294 flights were canceled and 3,030 flights were delayed across South Korea, Japan, China, India, and the UAE. Another report states that 283 flights were canceled and 3,972 were delayed due to a combination of severe weather and air traffic control issues.

Beyond aviation, other transport sectors were impacted. Local railway authorities reported that high-speed and intercity railway services in the Guangdong region were also disrupted by the severe weather.

Global Context and Technical Issues

While the primary focus of the disruptions remained in Asia, other global cities experienced similar travel chaos. Reports noted that over 70 flights were grounded in cities including Austin, Newark, and Dubai, attributed to a mix of severe weather and technical disruptions.

To mitigate the impact of the weather, airports in the affected Chinese regions proactively adjusted their schedules during peak periods. Some passengers utilized airline rebooking and cancellation policies to obtain full refunds when flights were delayed.