Weather disruption causes 3,900 flight delays across Jakarta, Tokyo, and Delhi

Disruption overview

Around 3,900 flight delays have affected Jakarta, Tokyo, and Delhi after volcanic ash in Indonesia and repeated severe weather in Japan and India slowed operations across some of Asia's busiest airports. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has been hit hardest, while Haneda Airport and Narita International Airport have also seen repeated delays, diversions, and rescheduling. For passengers, that can mean missed connections, crowded terminals, baggage issues, and knock-on disruption for long-haul flights to Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Because the main causes are weather-related and outside the airline's control, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide care and assistance during long waits, including food, refreshments, and accommodation if needed.

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Disruption details

Around 3,900 flight delays have been recorded across Jakarta, Tokyo, and Delhi after volcanic ash and severe weather disrupted operations through late August and the first half of September 2026. For passengers, this has meant late departures, missed connections, baggage problems, and longer waits as schedules slowly recover.

The disruption hasn't stayed local. Delays at these hubs have spilled into long-haul schedules to Europe, the Middle East, and North America, so even if your trip starts elsewhere, you can still feel the knock-on effects when aircraft, crews, or inbound connections arrive late.

The biggest pressure points reported so far are:

• At Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, at least 624 departures and arrivals were delayed after volcanic-ash advisories linked to Mount Anak Krakatau led to airspace restrictions and phased reopenings.

• At Haneda Airport in Tokyo, several days went beyond 150 late flights, and at least one provisional day passed 260 delays.

• At Narita International Airport near Tokyo, multiple taxiway closures listed through the end of September 2026 are also limiting ground capacity.

• In Delhi , intense monsoon bursts caused 11 diversions during one rain event, along with hundreds of delays and repeated rescheduling on some long-haul departures.

Jakarta has been the hardest hit. Even after restrictions eased, the backlog didn't disappear. A published schedule for 9 September 2026 still showed 966 planned movements carrying an estimated 131,495 passengers at Soekarno-Hatta, which shows how quickly one day of airspace disruption can roll into the next at a major international gateway.

Tokyo's problems have been more stop-start, but still persistent. Weather-related slowdowns at Haneda have combined with reduced capacity at Narita, and earlier tropical-storm conditions showed how quickly the capital's airport network can seize up. Even when runway conditions improve, the schedule doesn't always bounce back straight away.

Delhi has faced a different pattern. Heavy monsoon rain has led to waterlogging, slower ramp operations, and congestion on access roads. When storm cells combine with wind shifts or technical constraints, runway throughput can drop quickly, pushing delays deep into the overnight bank and then into the next morning's departures.

If you're flying through these hubs, the disruption is often felt less as one dramatic shutdown and more as a chain reaction. A late inbound aircraft can delay the next departure, crew hours become tighter, bags can miss transfers, and connection windows can disappear. That's why operators are warning that residual delays may continue for several days after each ash advisory or severe-weather alert is lifted.

Services are gradually recovering, but conditions can still change quickly. If you have an upcoming itinerary through Jakarta, Tokyo, or Delhi, it's worth checking your airline app and the airport departure boards closely, because live updates will usually show recovery progress more accurately than a single daily delay total.

Because these disruptions were mainly caused by volcanic ash and severe weather, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely. Still, your airline should provide care and assistance if you're left waiting, including food and refreshments, accommodation and transport if an overnight stay becomes necessary, and rerouting or a refund if your flight is canceled. Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. If you'd like to understand what applies to your trip, you can still check your flight with AirHelp's free flight checker.

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