Storm Aftermath: Dubai Airport Operations Remain Disrupted!

Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, will reduce the number of incoming flights for 48 hours starting Friday at noon local time (0800 GMT). This is because the airport is dealing with a backlog caused by a huge storm that hit the United Arab Emirates three days ago.

Emirates, Dubai’s main airline and one of the world’s largest, has stopped letting passengers with connecting flights through Dubai check in until Friday at 11:59 PM GMT. But if you're flying straight to Dubai, you can still check in and travel as usual.

The situation is gradually improving, and flight operations are slowly returning to normal. In a social media post on platform X, DXB announced, "We have resumed arrivals for airlines operating from Terminal 1. However, flights are still experiencing delays and disruptions, so we advise passengers to only come to Terminal 1 if they have a confirmed booking. For the latest updates on your flight status, please contact your airline."

These actions show how the airport is still struggling to deal with all the flights that got delayed because of the heaviest rain the UAE has had in 75 years. The storm made a lot of the country stop for two days and caused a lot of damage.

Costly flight tickets!

Tickets from Mumbai to Dubai for the next few days are now between ₹50,000-60,000 for a one-way trip, much higher than the usual ₹15,000-20,000. Similarly, direct flights from Delhi to Dubai have also jumped to ₹50,000-60,000, compared to the usual ₹20,000-25,000.

Because of the flight cancellations over the past two days, airlines are warning passengers about congestion. Emirates, the biggest airline in the UAE, has removed restrictions on check-in for departures from Dubai. However, they advise passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport as it's still crowded.

No flights to India

Air India has canceled its flights to and from Dubai on Friday due to ongoing disruptions at the airport in the Emirates. Passengers who have booked flights for travel until April 21 will be given a one-time waiver for rescheduling and offered full refunds for cancellations. A spokesperson for Air India stated that the airline has taken this step due to the continued operational challenges at Dubai airport. They reassured affected customers that efforts are being made to accommodate them on alternative flights as soon as operations resume.

On Friday, the Indian embassy in the UAE recommended that Indian travelers heading to or passing through Dubai International Airport delay non-essential trips until operations return to normal. This advisory was issued in response to the disruption caused by unusual weather conditions in the UAE earlier this week. Dubai International Airport has temporarily restricted the number of incoming flights due to these circumstances, as stated in the advisory.

Also read: Only one airport from India in the top 10 busiest airports in the world! Full list is here