Over 500 Flights Cancelled and Delayed as Air France, Singapore, Emirates, United, Qantas, Delta, KLM, British, American, Qatar, and More Face New Disruptions at Heathrow, Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle, and Barcelona Due to Operational Challenges

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Over five hundred flights were cancelled and delayed today across London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Barcelona airports as leading airlines including Air France, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, United, Qantas, Delta, KLM, British Airways, American, and Qatar faced widespread disruptions caused by severe operational challenges and lingering weather impacts. The chaos, driven by staffing shortages, aircraft rotation delays, and bottlenecks at Europe’s busiest hubs, triggered a ripple effect that left terminals overwhelmed and passengers stranded throughout the day.

Heathrow Hit by Tense Operational Strain

London Heathrow saw 110 delayed flights and 8 cancellations affecting major global carriers. British Airways, the UK’s flagship airline, experienced over 50 delays and 4 cancellations, while international giants like United Airlines, Delta, and KLM also faced cancellations. Emirates and Air India both reported above-average delay percentages, with Emirates facing 5 delayed flights, and Air India clocking in 5 delays at 41% delay ratio.

Long-haul services to and from North America and Asia were especially impacted. Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and American Airlines all encountered delayed departures or arrivals, adding to the growing ripple effect on global connectivity. The causes, airport officials said, stem from a mix of over-capacity issues, ramp congestion, and tight turnaround times during peak summer demand.

Amsterdam Schiphol Faces Heavy Backlogs

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport registered one of the highest disruption totals, with 119 delays and 27 cancellations, the most of any airport in today’s update. Dutch carrier KLM alone accounted for 24 cancelled flights and 39 delays, pushing Schiphol to a logistical breaking point by mid-afternoon.

Delta, easyJet, United, Air France, Emirates, and Lufthansa were also part of the disruption list, with dozens of flights delayed by crew rotation issues and weather-affected schedules from earlier in the week. Passengers flying to the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe were among the hardest hit.

The chain reaction was further worsened by air traffic control staffing limitations and late arrivals of inbound aircraft, with airport sources describing the day as “heavily strained” by overlapping operational shortfalls.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Sees Mounting Delays

At Paris Charles de Gaulle, travelers faced 191 delays and 14 cancellations, with national carrier Air France leading the count: 7 cancelled flights and a staggering 86 delays.

easyJet and Air Algerie also reported multiple flight cancellations, while United, Emirates, Delta, Air India, and Qatar Airways all reported notable delays. Compounding the issue were internal staffing challenges and a backlog of flights from earlier disruptions.

Paris also saw carriers like SriLankan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, ITA Airways, and Middle East Airlines face punctuality problems. Delays averaged between 15 to 45 minutes, though several long-haul departures saw extended ground times due to slot reassignments and apron congestion.

Barcelona Joins the Disruption List

Barcelona El Prat Airport, although smaller than its northern counterparts, was not spared. It reported 82 delays and 4 cancellations today, largely driven by short-haul network congestion and turnarounds that missed their narrow summer windows.

easyJet bore the brunt here with 2 cancellations and 11 delays, while Delta cancelled one transatlantic flight and recorded another delay. Additional hiccups were seen across airlines such as Vueling, Ryanair, Jet2, Turkish Airlines, Air France, and Lufthansa. Several flights to and from North Africa and the Middle East were impacted, especially those operated by Tunis Air and Etihad.

Barcelona’s disruptions, though numerically lower than the others, underscore how tightly interconnected the European air traffic system has become. A delay in Amsterdam or Paris now cascades to Catalonia’s capital within hours.

A Multinational List of Affected Airlines

Airlines disrupted today spanned every continent, making this one of the most global operational breakdowns in recent weeks. The list includes Air France, British Airways, KLM, Delta, American Airlines, United, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, easyJet, Ryanair, Vueling Airlines, Transavia, TAP Air Portugal, Iberia, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Wizz Air, Wizz Air Malta, Air India, Air Canada, WestJet, Qantas, Air Algerie, Turkish Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Air Europa, Vietnam Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Jet2, Smartwings, Sun Express, Helvetic Airways, Buzz, German Airways, Norwegian Air Shuttle, and many more.

What’s Driving the Chaos?

While no single cause has been officially cited for the scale of today’s disruption, aviation sources suggest a combination of operational bottlenecks, air traffic control delays, crew rotation issues, and residual weather impacts from earlier in the week. Many European airports have seen sharp summer demand coupled with reduced staff levels or runway constraints, putting pressure on turnarounds and causing systemic delays.

Airlines themselves have acknowledged the strain. Several have begun consolidating lightly booked flights and adjusting schedules to better manage flow and crew availability.

Full Details of Flight Cancel and Delays AirportwiseLondon Heathrow (LHR)British Airways: 52 delays, 4 cancellationsUnited Airlines: 4 delays, 1 cancellationDelta Air Lines: 2 delays, 1 cancellationKLM: 1 cancellationWestJet: 1 cancellationAir India: 5 delaysBrussels Airlines: 2 delaysAir Baltic: 1 delayCathay Pacific: 2 delaysAir Algerie: 1 delayLufthansa: 6 delaysAer Lingus: 3 delaysEtihad Airways: 3 delaysGulf Air: 1 delayIberia: 2 delaysLOT Polish Airlines: 1 delayQantas: 1 delayQatar Airways: 2 delaysSAS (Scandinavian Airlines): 2 delaysSingapore Airlines: 1 delaySwiss International Air Lines: 2 delaysScandinavian Airlines Ireland: 1 delayAmerican Airlines: 2 delaysTAP Air Portugal: 2 delaysTurkish Airlines: 1 delayEmirates: 5 delaysVueling Airlines: 1 delayAir Canada: 4 delaysAir France: 1 delayBarcelona El Prat (BCN)easyJet: 11 delays, 2 cancellationsDelta Air Lines: 1 delay, 1 cancellationTunis Air: 1 cancellationAir Europa: 1 delayAir France: 2 delaysAzerbaijan Airlines: 1 delayAustrian Airlines: 1 delayBritish Airways: 2 delaysCyprus Airways: 1 delayLufthansa: 3 delaysDAT: 1 delayEtihad Airways: 1 delayEurowings: 1 delayJet2: 1 delayGerman Airways: 1 delayIberia: 1 delayKLM: 1 delayCity Airlines: 1 delayLOT Polish Airlines: 1 delayNorwegian Air Sweden: 1 delayRyanair: 11 delaysBuzz: 2 delaysSun Express: 1 delayTurkish Airlines: 2 delaysTransavia Airlines: 1 delayUnited Airlines: 1 delayVueling Airlines: 25 delaysWizz Air Malta: 3 delaysAmerican Airlines: 1 delayWizz Air: 2 delaysAmsterdam Schiphol (AMS)KLM: 39 delays, 24 cancellationsGerman Airways: 8 delays, 2 cancellationsUnited Airlines: 2 delays, 1 cancellationAegean Airlines: 2 delaysAir France: 4 delaysBritish Airways: 2 delaysAir Baltic: 1 delayCargolux Airlines International: 1 delayDelta Air Lines: 4 delaysEtihad Airways: 1 delayEastern Airways: 7 delayseasyJet: 16 delaysIberia: 1 delayKLM Cityhopper: 4 delaysAir Arabia Maroc: 1 delayMartinair: 1 delayHelvetic Airways: 1 delayRoyal Jordanian: 2 delaysGo2Sky: 1 delaySky Express: 1 delaySaudia: 3 delaysTAP Air Portugal: 3 delaysTurkish Airlines: 1 delayTransavia Airlines: 6 delaysEmirates: 2 delaysVueling Airlines: 2 delaysAmerican Airlines: 1 delayAir Europa: 2 delaysParis Charles de Gaulle (CDG)Air France: 86 delays, 7 cancellationsAir Algerie: 3 delays, 4 cancellationseasyJet: 25 delays, 2 cancellationsAir India: 1 delay, 1 cancellationAzerbaijan Airlines: 1 delayAmelia: 1 delaySriLankan Airlines: 1 delayAustrian Airlines: 1 delayAnimaWings: 1 delayBrussels Airlines: 3 delaysAir Baltic: 1 delayDelta Air Lines: 5 delaysLufthansa: 3 delaysAer Lingus: 1 delayEtihad Airways: 1 delayHOP!: 22 delaysVietnam Airlines: 1 delayIberia: 1 delayIcelandair: 1 delayITA Airways: 2 delaysNouvelair Tunisie: 5 delaysMiddle East Airlines – Air Liban: 1 delayNorwegian Air Shuttle: 1 delayNorwegian Air Sweden: 1 delayQatar Airways: 1 delayRoyal Jordanian: 1 delayTAROM: 2 delaysSky Express: 1 delaySun Express: 1 delayAir Senegal: 1 delayTurkish Airlines: 1 delayAir Transat: 1 delaySmartwings: 1 delayEmirates: 3 delaysUnited Airlines: 2 delaysWestJet: 1 delayAmerican Airlines: 2 delaysAir Canada: 1 delayAegean Airlines: 2 delays

Over 500 flights were cancelled and delayed today at Heathrow, Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle, and Barcelona as major airlines including Air France, Singapore, Emirates, United, Qantas, Delta, and more faced widespread disruptions due to operational challenges and residual weather delays. The chaos was fueled by staff shortages, congested runways, and aircraft turnaround issues across Europe’s busiest airports.

Passengers Advised to Check Before Departure

As delays ripple across the network, passengers are urged to check with their airline before leaving for the airport. Airports are warning of longer processing times, even for on-time departures, due to crowded terminals and backlog-induced delays at gates and baggage claim areas.

This latest wave of disruption is a reminder of how volatile European air travel can become during peak summer months, especially when multiple hubs face simultaneous pressure. With traffic expected to rise further in July, travelers and airlines alike may need to brace for more turbulence ahead.