Asia Flight Delays 2026: Shanghai, Tokyo and Mumbai Disruptions

Fresh flight delays across major Asian hubs are building into the second half of September 2026, as typhoon-related disruption around Shanghai and the Tokyo area coincides with monsoon-season volatility in Mumbai, complicating connections and tightening turnaround schedules for airlines operating dense regional and long-haul networks.

Shanghai: Typhoon-linked slowdowns hit Pudong and Hongqiao

Shanghai-area air travel has faced repeated disruption this season, with recent published coverage describing a sharp drop in airport operating capacity during Typhoon “White Dolphin” impacts in the Yangtze River Delta. Reports on September 14, 2026 indicated that operating capacity at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) declined significantly, with large-scale reductions and cancellations affecting both arriving and departing flights.

Those aviation constraints have broader knock-on effects because PVG functions as a primary long-haul gateway and a transfer point for onward travel across East Asia. When arrival banks are slowed by wind limits, thunderstorm activity, or air traffic flow controls, airlines may need to adjust aircraft rotations, which can push delays into later waves of departures even after local conditions begin improving.

Earlier in August, published coverage described very large cancellation totals as Typhoon Dolphin affected China’s eastern coast, adding to the sense among carriers and travelers that weather-driven schedule volatility is likely to remain a recurring feature of late summer and early autumn travel in the region. For travelers, the practical impact is that a disruption at PVG can cascade to connecting itineraries via Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East as aircraft and crews are repositioned.

Tokyo: Typhoon 25 raises delay and cancellation risk at Haneda and Narita

In Japan, typhoon conditions are again a central risk factor for operations at the Tokyo metropolitan airports. As of September 18, 2026, publicly available airline notices show that All Nippon Airways introduced special handling for certain tickets due to an approaching typhoon, allowing reservation changes or refunds without handling fees for affected flights regardless of the final operating outcome.

The airline’s posted notice specifies coverage for Tokyo Narita (NRT) flights departing or arriving from 12:00 to 23:59 on September 20, and Tokyo Haneda (HND) flights from 12:00 on September 20 through 23:59 on September 21 (Japan time). Such waivers are often used to spread passenger demand away from the highest-risk windows, reducing pressure on airport facilities and airline rebooking channels if cancellations and missed connections increase.

Weather-focused reporting dated September 18, 2026 also highlighted a heightened risk of heavy rain and strong winds around the Kanto region as Typhoon No. 25 approaches, conditions that frequently trigger air traffic management initiatives such as spacing constraints on arrivals, runway configuration changes, and additional airborne holding. Even when terminals remain open, these operational measures can reduce the number of takeoffs and landings that can be safely handled per hour.

Mumbai: Monsoon season keeps operations vulnerable, with access impacts possible

In India, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) operates under monsoon-season conditions that can produce sudden delays from thunderstorms, wind shear, and reduced visibility. While runway operations may continue during many weather events, disruption can build quickly in peak periods as aircraft wait for approach slots and gate availability, increasing the risk of missed domestic connections and onward international departures.

For travelers trying to assess immediate impacts, Mumbai airport’s flight-status tools can help confirm whether a specific flight is delayed, retimed, or operating normally, but the bigger challenge during heavy rain events is how quickly conditions can change. Road access to and from the terminals can also become slower during intense rainfall, which can create additional stress on check-in and security processing if passengers arrive in uneven surges.

Infrastructure planning is also part of the longer-term backdrop. India’s Airports Economic Regulatory Authority has published documentation outlining plans tied to Terminal 1 at CSMIA, including the stated intent for a complete closure of operations at Terminal 1 (including 1A, 1B and 1C) during a future reconstruction period, a development that could reshape airline and passenger flows when implemented. While that is distinct from short-term weather delays, it adds another layer of schedule and capacity sensitivity for carriers that rely heavily on Mumbai’s domestic networks.

What travelers can do now: timing, rebooking windows, and connection planning

With weather-driven disruption affecting multiple hubs at once, the main operational risk shifts from a single delayed flight to a chain reaction across connections. Travelers with itineraries involving Shanghai, Tokyo, or Mumbai in the next several days may face higher odds of missed onward flights, especially when minimum connection times are tight and the itinerary depends on the last departures of the day.

During active disruption windows, airline-issued schedule-change notifications and rebooking waivers can be more valuable than airport-wide advisories because they determine what passengers are actually permitted to do with their ticket. In Tokyo’s case, ANA’s special handling notice provides a defined time window, which can allow travelers to proactively move to earlier departures, later departures, or different routing before airport congestion peaks.

For passengers still deciding whether to travel on the most weather-exposed days, shifting travel by even 12 to 24 hours can reduce the chance of being caught in the heaviest constraints, particularly around typhoon closest-approach periods. Travelers on complex itineraries may also want to reassess connection times and consider routing options that avoid back-to-back tight transfers through any one of the affected hubs until conditions stabilize.