Hundreds of flights have been cancelled this weekend as severe weather, airspace disruption and mounting operational pressures wreak havoc.

Airports in Japan, China, India, the UAE, Singapore and Thailand have all been impacted, with airlines cancelling 366 flights and delaying a further 2,949 services, according to aviation tracking data reported by Travel and Tour World.

Major airlines affected include China Eastern Airlines, IndiGo, AirAsia and Etihad Airways, with disruption concentrated around major transit hubs including Tokyo Haneda Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Kempegowda International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport and Zayed International Airport.

Industry analysts say the disruption is being driven by a combination of heavy storms across parts of Asia, congestion at key airports and the continuing impact of Middle East airspace restrictions, which have forced airlines to reroute aircraft and absorb significantly higher fuel costs.

The wider aviation sector is also dealing with fallout from geopolitical tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, which has led to airspace closures and longer flight times on major Europe-Asia routes.

It has been reported this week that several carriers have already begun scaling back international schedules because of soaring operating costs.

Air India has announced temporary cuts to a number of long-haul services between June and August, citing fuel pressures and operational disruption caused by rerouting around restricted airspace.

Despite the turbulence affecting much of the region, Singapore Airlines said it plans to increase capacity on some routes as travellers shift toward direct Asia-Europe flights that avoid Middle Eastern stopovers.

Australian government travel advice has also warned travellers to expect ongoing disruption linked to the conflict, including cancellations, delays and fuel supply issues affecting global aviation networks.

Passengers travelling through major Asian hubs this week have been urged to check flight status updates before heading to the airport, with airlines warning that further schedule changes remain possible if weather systems and geopolitical disruption continue.