British Airways and Pegasus disrupt 159 flights across Heathrow, Sabiha Gökçen, Vienna, and Dubai

Disruption overview

On 5 April 2026, British Airways and Pegasus Airlines disrupted 159 flights across London Heathrow Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Vienna International Airport, and Dubai International Airport. For passengers, that meant 25 cancellations, 134 delays, missed connections, longer waits at check-in desks, and some unplanned overnight stays during the Easter travel peak. Rebooking was available in some cases, but some journeys were pushed back by 24 hours. Depending on your route and the reason for the disruption, you may be entitled to up to $650 compensation under EC 261 if your flight was canceled at short notice or delayed by more than 3 hours.

Disruption details

On 5 April 2026, passengers flying with British Airways and Pegasus Airlines faced widespread disruption after 25 flights were canceled and a further 134 were delayed across several major hubs.

For passengers, this meant missed connections, long waits, and last-minute changes across the United Kingdom, Turkey, Austria, and the United Arab Emirates. The disruption first hit short- and medium-haul routes, but it quickly spread further when late inbound aircraft interfered with onward long-haul departures.

The heaviest concentration of cancellations was seen at London Heathrow Airport, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, and Vienna International Airport. In Dubai, the biggest problem was the knock-on effect, with late arrivals causing some travelers to miss onward departures and, in some cases, face unplanned overnight stays or more complicated rebookings.

The worst-hit airports were:

• London Heathrow Airport: British Airways canceled several European flights that normally feed connecting traffic into Central and Eastern Europe, while some other departures left up to 3 hours late.

• Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport: Pegasus Airlines cut departures from its home base and pushed much of its European and Gulf schedule into the late evening.

• Vienna International Airport: The disruption was especially difficult here because the airport works both as a destination and a regional transfer point, leaving some travelers from London and Istanbul missing rail and regional air connections.

• Dubai International Airport: Late inbound aircraft led to missed onward departures on partner and competing airlines, forcing some passengers into hotel stays or complex rerouting.

A mix of operational problems appears to have been behind the disruption. Crew and aircraft positioning difficulties, weather-related knock-on effects from previous days, and air-traffic flow restrictions all added pressure to already busy schedules.

That pressure was harder to absorb at some airports than others. Heathrow has little spare capacity once flights start slipping from their planned slots, while Pegasus Airlines' tightly timed low-cost operation at Sabiha Gökçen leaves limited room for recovery. Vienna then amplified the disruption because it serves both local travelers and passengers transferring further into Europe and the Middle East.

Airlines at the affected airports offered same-day or next-day rebooking when seats were available, but the Easter travel peak made that difficult for many passengers. Some itineraries could only be moved by 24 hours, and travelers faced long lines at check-in desks as they tried to secure new journeys. Hotel rooms near the main hubs were also hard to find for those stranded overnight.

By the early hours of 6 April 2026, schedules were starting to stabilize. Even so, the disruption showed how quickly a busy spring travel period can unravel when aircraft and crews fall out of position, especially at airports with little room to recover once several flights miss their slots.

If your flight was disrupted, it's worth keeping receipts for food, transport, or accommodation and staying in touch with your airline about rerouting or refunds. When a delay stretches over several hours, or a cancellation leaves you waiting overnight, airlines still have a duty to provide care and assistance.

Depending on your route and what caused your delay or cancellation, some British Airways and Pegasus Airlines passengers may also be entitled to up to $650 compensation under EC 261 if their flight was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late. If your journey on 5 April 2026 was affected, you can check your compensation with AirHelp's free flight checker in just 2 minutes.

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