Emirates, flydubai issue alert as unstable weather delays flights at Dubai Airport

Travellers have been cautioned about potential delays on the road and advised to plan for extra travel time to reach the airport

by Gulf Business

April 16, 2024

Image credit: flyDubai

As unstable weather conditions persist across the UAE, flight operations have been impacted, leading to cancellations, delays, and diversions at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Dubai Airports operations

Dubai Airports confirmed that the inclement weather on Tuesday led it to halt operations for a short period of time.

Due to the intense storm, operations at @DXB were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes, but have since recommenced.
There is major flooding on roads leading to the airport and forecasts indicate that the unsettled weather will continue till tomorrow morning.

— DXB (@DXB) April 16, 2024

In a statement posted on Twitter, it said “there is major flooding on roads leading to the airport and forecasts indicate that the unsettled weather will continue until tomorrow morning”.

Earlier in the day a total of 17 inbound and outbound flights were impacted – either delayed, cancelled or diverted due to thunderstorms and lightning.

Passengers faced disruptions as flights were either delayed or diverted due to the adverse weather conditions.

Due to weather conditions, we are currently experiencing some delays in arriving and departing flights. 9 outbound and 8 inbound flights have been cancelled this morning and 3 flights were diverted to other airports⚠️
Remember to check your flight status with your airline ✈️

— DXB (@DXB) April 16, 2024

Some delayed flights eventually landed around noon, highlighting the challenges posed by the unpredictable weather conditions.

The airports authority had issued an alert earlier in the day for passengers scheduled to travel from DXB.

If you’re travelling from #DXB today, be sure to allow extra time to get to the airport and use the Dubai Metro, where possible 🌧️
The metro operating hours have now been extended till 3AM tonight.

— DXB (@DXB) April 16, 2024

Airlines issue advisory

Emirates Airline, one of the major carriers operating at DXB, issued a statement reassuring passengers that all its flights were operating as scheduled as of Monday evening.

However, travellers were cautioned about potential delays on the road and advised to plan for extra travel time to reach the airport.

Due to adverse weather conditions forecast in Dubai on 16 and 17 April, customers headed to @DXB may experience road delays.

Plan for extra travel time to reach the airport, and complete check-in formalities before arrival for added convenience. https://t.co/wdbBF1Ko0D pic.twitter.com/pDYIB1aUMY

— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) April 15, 2024

Flydubai issued a statement announcing flight cancellations due to the challenges posed by the weather conditions and emphasised their efforts to minimise disruptions to passengers’ travel schedules.

“The adverse weather conditions in the UAE on 16 April have impacted our flight schedule at Dubai International (DXB). We have cancelled some flights as a result and are currently experiencing some delays. We are working hard to minimise any disruption to our passengers’ travel schedules and are coordinating with all parties at the airport.”

“We will continue to monitor the weather conditions closely and we advise our passengers to allow extra time for their journey to the airport and to check the status of their flight on flydubai.com.”

Travel alert – adverse weather in the UAE

Passengers are advised to update their contact details via the Manage Booking section of flydubai.com or call on +971 600 54 44 45.
Check in online is available between 48 hours and 75 minutes before the flight departure time from Dubai.
Passengers are advised to check their booking for their baggage allowances.
Passengers are advised to aim to arrive at the airport at least four hours before their flight departs. Please note that check-in closes 60 minutes before the flight departure time.
Passengers can save time at the airport by using self-service kiosks in Terminal 2, where they can print their baggage tag and complete online check-in then go directly to the dedicated bag drop desk.

The airline urged travellers to allow extra time for their journey to the airport and advised them to check the status of their flight on its website for updates.

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