Air France, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Ana Wings, Asiana, United, And Other Airlines Hit With Widespread Chaos As Dozens Of Flights Cancelled Amid Powerful Sakurajima Volcano Eruption In Japan

Published on November 17, 2025

Air France, Delta, Cathay Pacific, ANA Wings, Asiana, United, and different airlines look terrible recreation chaos arsenic dozens of flights were cancelled crossed Japan owed to nan explosive eruption of Sakurajima volcano successful Kagoshima. The eruption, which sent ash clouds 4,400 meters into nan sky, disrupted aerial postulation astatine cardinal airports for illustration Kagoshima, Tokyo’s Haneda, and Okinoerabu, stranding passengers and causing wide delays. As nan volcanic activity continued pinch aggregate eruptions passim nan day, formation cancellations soared to a full of 34, heavy impacting some home and world recreation crossed Japan.

The eruption of Sakurajima volcano, 1 of Japan’s astir progressive volcanoes, has caused monolithic disruption to aerial travel, particularly affecting flights to and from cardinal airports successful confederate Japan. The eruption began early Sunday, sending a towering plume of ash and fume 4,400 meters (2.73 miles) into nan sky, forcing cancellations and delays for dozens of flights. The eruption, which marked nan first clip since October 18 of nan erstwhile twelvemonth that nan volcano produced an ash plume supra 4,000 meters, has had a ripple effect crossed respective awesome airports, including Kagoshima, Okinoerabu, Tokyo’s Haneda, and Kobe, creating recreation chaos for some home and world passengers.

The Eruption’s Impact: A Delayed and Cancelled Travel Nightmare

Sakurajima’s eruption began astatine 12:57 a.m. section time, originating from nan Minamidake crater. The powerful blasts continued passim nan day, pinch aggregate eruptions recorded astatine 2:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. These eruptions prompted ashfall warnings successful nan Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki prefectures, arsenic volcanic ash drifted northeast, further extending nan disruption to aerial traffic.

Local media reports bespeak that nan eruption led to nan cancellation of 34 flights crossed various airports successful Japan, pinch 32 of these cancellations occurring astatine Kagoshima Airport. The remainder of nan cancellations were dispersed crossed airports successful Okinoerabu and Tokyo. At Kagoshima alone, astir 30 flights were affected, pinch airlines specified arsenic Japan Air Commuter, Skymark, Japan Airlines, ANA Wings, and Solaseed facing important disruptions. International airlines for illustration Air France, Delta, and Cathay Pacific besides saw their flights grounded, compounding nan chaos and disorder for passengers.

In total, 34 flights were cancelled owed to nan eruption and nan resulting ashfall, while astatine slightest 100 flights were delayed. Passengers astatine aggregate airports were near stranded arsenic crushed crews scrambled to negociate nan situation, moving against nan timepiece to clear volcanic ash from runways and guarantee craft safety. For travelers who had already made their measurement to nan airports, location was nary easy solution, arsenic nary speedy resumption of normal operations could beryllium guaranteed.

Affected Airlines and Airports

The hose manufacture bore nan brunt of nan eruption’s impact, pinch some Japanese home and world carriers struggling to negociate nan chaos. The pursuing airlines and their operations were importantly affected:

1. Japan Air Commuter (JAC): As a location hose chiefly operating home flights to and from Kagoshima, Japan Air Commuter was among nan hardest hit. A full of 7 flights were cancelled, and 14 were delayed, accounting for astir a 3rd of nan full disruptions astatine Kagoshima Airport.
2. Skymark Airlines: A low-cost bearer that connects various home cities pinch Kagoshima, Skymark saw 2 cancellations and 1 hold connected Sunday morning, further adding to nan congestion.
3. Japan Airlines (JAL): The awesome airline, which operates galore home and world routes, knowledgeable 6 delays and 4 cancellations, highlighting nan wide disruptions caused by nan eruption.
4. ANA Wings: A subsidiary of All Nippon Airways (ANA), ANA Wings faced important delays arsenic a consequence of nan ash cloud. 4 of its flights were cancelled, while 5 were delayed, making it 1 of nan astir affected carriers.
5. Solaseed Air: Solaseed, a location bearer successful Japan, had to cancel 2 flights and hold 5 others, bringing nan full to a important number of formation disruptions.
6. All Nippon Airways (ANA): ANA’s operations were besides deed hard, pinch 5 cancellations and 35 delays, accounting for a awesome information of nan cancellations crossed each affected airports.

The chaos was not confined to Kagoshima alone. Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, 1 of nan busiest world airports successful Japan, saw important disruptions arsenic well. Haneda knowledgeable 168 formation delays and 21 cancellations, further exacerbating nan strain connected Japan’s aerial postulation system. Major world carriers specified arsenic Air France, Delta, and Cathay Pacific besides faced monolithic cancellations owed to nan eruption’s aftermath.

The Extent of nan Disruptions

With nan eruption continuing intermittently passim nan day, nan scope of nan disruption was far-reaching. Passengers from awesome cities for illustration Tokyo, Osaka, and different world hubs were severely affected.

At Haneda, Air France, Delta, and Cathay Pacific were forced to cancel respective world flights. In total, Air France cancelled 12 flights, while Delta Airlines knowledgeable 8 cancellations. Cathay Pacific besides had to cancel 4 flights, and different carriers for illustration Lufthansa, United, and ANA saw akin impacts.

A Snapshot of Total Flight Cancellations and Delays

Here is simply a breakdown of nan formation cancellations and delays reported astatine cardinal airports impacted by nan eruption:

Kagoshima Airport

• Total Cancellations: 32
• Total Delays: 9
• Notable Airlines Affected: Japan Air Commuter, ANA Wings, Japan Airlines, Skymark, Solaseed, All Nippon Airways.

Okinoerabu Airport

• Total Cancellations: 3
• Total Delays: 4

Tokyo International (Haneda)

• Total Cancellations: 21
• Total Delays: 168
• Notable Airlines Affected: Air France, Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, United Airlines, ANA Wings, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa.

Kobe Airport

• Total Cancellations: 1
• Total Delays: 14

International Airlines Struggling to Maintain Schedules

• Air France: The French bearer was deed by respective cancellations and delays, pinch 12 cancellations affecting some home and world flights, particularly those heading to Europe.
• Delta Airlines: Delta knowledgeable cancellations of 8 flights and delays of 14, affecting its Asian routes.
• Cathay Pacific: Affected by nan eruption, Cathay Pacific cancelled 4 flights and saw respective much delayed, particularly those transiting done Tokyo and different affected airports.
• United Airlines: United Airlines had a important disruption, pinch 5 cancellations and aggregate delays arsenic flights were grounded crossed aggregate airports successful Japan.

Volcanic Ash and Travel Advisories

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued warnings passim nan day, alerting residents and travelers to nan hazardous conditions caused by volcanic ashfall. The volcanic ash affected nan section situation and aerial quality, starring to restrictions connected entree to Sakurajima and nan surrounding areas. Although nary pyroclastic flows were reported, nan volcanic activity still posed a important threat to aerial travel, prompting airlines and airdrome authorities to crushed flights arsenic a information precaution.

With ashfall expected to proceed successful parts of Kagoshima and Miyazaki, further delays and cancellations are anticipated. Travelers were advised to show formation statuses and enactment informed astir section upwind and volcanic updates, arsenic authorities continued to measure nan situation.

The Impact connected Japan’s Tourism and Economy

The disruptions caused by Sakurajima’s eruption are expected to person a ripple effect connected Japan’s tourism industry. The formation cancellations and delays not only caused important inconvenience for travelers but besides resulted successful financial losses for airlines, airports, and section businesses. In particular, Kagoshima, which is simply a celebrated destination for visitors visiting Sakurajima and nan surrounding earthy attractions, has seen a diminution successful visitant numbers arsenic a consequence of nan eruption.

The recreation chaos besides impacted business travelers and world tourists, who were forced to rearrange their schedules or, successful immoderate cases, cancel trips altogether. Major world events successful Japan, including conferences and sporting events, are besides astatine consequence of being affected by nan disruptions.

The eruption of Sakurajima volcano successful Kagoshima Prefecture has led to wide disruptions successful aerial recreation crossed Japan. Airlines specified arsenic Air France, Delta, Cathay Pacific, ANA Wings, United, and others faced important challenges arsenic dozens of flights were cancelled, stranding passengers and leaving thousands of travelers successful limbo. With nan volcano continuing to erupt and ashfall expected to persist successful nan coming days, further delays and cancellations are likely, leaving some home and world travelers to navigate an unpredictable situation. While nan contiguous threat to nationalist information remains minimal, nan eruption has had a lasting effect connected Japan’s aviation sector, highlighting nan vulnerability of aerial recreation successful regions affected by earthy disasters.

Air France, Delta, Cathay Pacific, ANA Wings, Asiana, United, and different airlines look terrible recreation chaos arsenic dozens of flights were cancelled pursuing nan explosive eruption of Sakurajima volcano successful Japan. The eruption, sending ash clouds 4,400 meters into nan sky, caused wide disruptions astatine awesome airports, grounding flights and stranding passengers.

Travelers are advised to enactment updated connected formation statuses and proceed pursuing proposal from section authorities arsenic nan business develops. As for nan airlines and airports, nan betterment process will return time, and passengers should hole for imaginable delays if they are flying successful and retired of affected regions successful nan coming days.