UAE Rains: Ethihad, Emirates and Flydubai to dely or cancel flights untill weather improves
Passengers are requested to check flight status before going to the airport
Dubai: Bad weather has caused Etihad, Emirates and Flydubai to suspend or delay their flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways stated that flights to Abu Dhabi on April 17 may be delayed due to heavy rain.
"Guests are advised to regularly check etihad.com for the latest information about their flight departure and allow plenty of time to travel to the airport," added the airline statement.
"Etihad will work closely with guests affected by any disruption to assist them with changes to their itineraries and reach their final destination. Our guests' and crew's safety and comfort is our top priority, and we regret any inconvenience."
According to an update published by the company on its official X account, multiple Emirates flights to and from DXB are experiencing delays or disruptions due to adverse weather conditions.
Due to adverse weather conditions, multiple flights to and from @DXB are experiencing delays or disruptions.
— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) April 16, 2024
✈️ To check the status of an upcoming flight, please visit https://t.co/RphFmbRpzF
For help with with an existing booking, please visit https://t.co/H1klWYurOd or DM… pic.twitter.com/YpdIk4Nvsb
Flydubai temporarily suspends all departing flights.
A representative from Flydubai has stated that the airline's operations at Dubai International (DXB) have been significantly impacted due to severe weather conditions across the UAE. As a result, many Flydubai flights have been cancelled or experienced extended delays. The severe weather conditions will persist throughout the night and into tomorrow (April 17).
All flights scheduled for departure from Dubai with Flydubai this evening (April 16) have been cancelled immediately until 10:00 (Dubai local time) on April 17. Please note that during this period, passengers who do not have Dubai as their final destination will not be allowed to travel.
"We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update our schedule accordingly. This will allow us to restore operational continuity more efficiently and accommodate arriving flights from around the network where possible," the spokesperson said.
Passengers whose bookings have been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions will receive a complete refund. "Our dedicated Customer Service teams are working tirelessly to minimise any inconvenience to our passengers. As always, the safety of our passengers and crew remains our utmost concern. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by the inclement weather."
AirArabia
Due to the severe weather conditions experienced in the UAE and the region, Air Arabia Flights have been cancelled or rescheduled. Affected passengers are being notified of their flight changes. Passengers are requested to visit the Air Arabia website or contact call centres for the latest updates on the flight status.
In its statement, Air Arabia assured its passage that, "While we diligently work to minimise the impact of the disruption caused by the weather conditions, we ensure that our passengers and crew's safety and well-being remain our top priority."
Operations were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes at DXB
Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest, suspended operations for 25 minutes because of the rain. Over 40 flights were cancelled, and inbound services were temporarily diverted due to bad weather.
"Due to the intense storm, operations were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes this afternoon but have since recommenced and are now in recovery mode. A total of 21 outbound and 24 inbound flights have been cancelled since 12.02 am this morning, and three flights were diverted to other neighbouring airports," the spokesperson said
The rain broke a 75-year record in the UAE
Over the past 24 hours, the United Arab Emirates has experienced exceptional rainfall, breaking records dating back to 1949.
This unprecedented weather event has impacted multiple regions. According to the National Centre of Meteorology, this spell of bad weather is anticipated to continue in the near future.