Airline ImPax Report

Global Disruptions Overview

This month’s report analyses the disruption data of 291 airlines totalling 636,092 disrupted flights, across 2,978,889 planned flights, globally.

In North America, the U.S. government shutdown caused persistent FAA staffing shortages, producing widespread flight delays and cancellations at major hubs. In Europe, over 1,700 delays and 35 cancellations affected major airports such as London, Paris, and Dublin. Asia-Pacific saw operational disruptions in Jakarta, Bangkok, and Seoul, while storms in New Zealand forced hundreds of cancellations. Latin America recorded over 200 delays and 43 cancellations across Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile. In the Middle East & Africa, supply-chain and crew issues continued. Overall, global delays rose 2%, matching a 2% flight-volume increase, while cancellations fell 10%, impacting 250,000 fewer passengers month-on-month.

Asia Pacific

In October 2025, APAC airlines faced operational disruptions amid fires, supply-chain delays, and localized cancellations. Major carriers including Garuda Indonesia, Sky Angkor, Bangkok Airways, ANA Wings, and Akasa Air saw 1,500+ delays and 18+ cancellations, impacting regional and international routes. Despite these challenges, overall flight volumes and disruption rates remained steady versus September, and international passenger traffic grew 7.1% year-on-year. The sector continues to face structural pressures from aircraft delivery delays, plateauing capacity growth, and supply-chain constraints, highlighting resilience yet operational vulnerability across the region.

Europe

In October 2025, Europe’s air travel faced significant disruption despite steady flight volumes versus September and overall decreases in delay metrics. Cancellations rose, particularly among full-service Tier 1 carriers. Major causes included a French air-traffic-control strike (7–10 Oct) cancelling hundreds of flights daily, additional strikes across Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands, and drone-related shutdowns at Munich Airport. Mid-month, Storm Alice triggered widespread weather delays across Spain, Turkey, and southern Europe. By late October, congestion contributed to over 1,700 delays, heavily impacting airlines such as Ryanair, KLM, and Air France across key hubs.

North America

In October 2025, North American aviation faced persistent disruptions amid the U.S. government shutdown. FAA staffing shortages triggered ground stops and delays at major hubs including Orlando, Newark, LAX, LGA, and DCA. Over 8,600 flights were delayed on peak days, with controller absenteeism spiking to 44% at some facilities. Despite these challenges, flight volumes remained steady year-on-year and up 12% versus September. Delays were widespread, highlighting structural vulnerabilities in air traffic control, but overall system throughput held relatively strong given the pressures.

Middle East and Africa

In October 2025, the ME&A region experienced operational disruptions primarily among Middle Eastern carriers, including Saudia, Royal Jordanian, Iran Air, and Mahan Air. While overall flight volumes and delay rates remained steady compared to September, major hubs such as Dubai, Riyadh, and Amman reported numerous delays. Cancellation rates increased by 20%, driven largely by performance issues among smaller airlines. While most disruptions were classified as operational or “other,” passenger impact was notable, particularly during mid‑ and late‑October, highlighting ongoing challenges in airline operational resilience across the region.

Latin America

In October 2025, LATAM aviation faced significant disruptions despite a 6% increase in flight volumes versus September. Overall delays rose 21%, though most were under one hour, while cancellations affected thousands of passengers across Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and the Caribbean. Key causes included labor strikes, fuel shortages, airport congestion, weather events, and new regulatory fees. Airlines including LATAM Airlines Group, Avianca, Azul, and GOL were heavily impacted, with both domestic and international routes experiencing widespread operational pressure across major hubs like São Paulo, Bogotá, Lima, and Montego Bay.