Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Emirates airlines in its report has stated that 40,000 of its passengers are affected due to travel chaos over Europe.
Emirates are trying its best to get its passengers home and away.
List of UAE flights affected: April 18
"To date, over 40,000 Emirates passengers have been impacted. Emirates is working on a contingency plan to ensure that we get flights and passengers moving as quickly as possible once airspace reopens.
"However, like every carrier, we cannot activate contingency plans until we receive clearance from European Air Traffic Control authorities. Until this happens, we cannot give firm timescales," the airline's spokesperson said.
"As a result, all Emirates flights to the UK and most other European destinations have been cancelled on the 17th and 18th April," the spokesperson added.
"We rerouted via Zurich and heard that just after we landed in Dubai yesterday that the airport there closed as well. Nobody is sure for how long the situation will continue, some say five to seven days even," said Ho Kwon Ping, founder and executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holding.
List of airports closed by ash cloud
Due to the uncertainty, airlines can't yet predict the amount of losses. Passengers won't receive any monetary compensation for flights, as this event classifies as a natural disaster, but are entitled to accommodation and meals and have their flights reimbursed.
"Emirates continues to provide hotel accommodation in Dubai for passengers who were in transit when the disruption began. Currently we are providing accommodation and three meals per day for more than 5,000 of these transit passengers at a cost of more than $1 million (Dh 3.67 million) per day," a statement from the airline clarifies.
Emirates on Saturday only accepted passengers for Moscow, Athens, Larnaca, Malta and Istanbul in Europe.
"These destinations could also be subject to cancellations if the path of the ash cloud continues to spread," the Emirates spokesperson said.
In Abu Dhabi, close to 11,000 Etihad Airways passengers have been affected, across the network of the airline, as the flight chaos continues, a spokesperson for the airline told Gulf News.
Etihad has cancelled all flights to the UK, Ireland, Europe and the Russian Federation until further notice, due to the spread of volcanic ash cloud.
Forty eight individual flights have been cancelled since the start of the disruptions on April 15.
As of Saturday, Etihad's passengers were occupying 1,500 hotel rooms in 12 hotels across Abu Dhabi, where they have been put up by the airline.
Etihad refused to reveal the cost of accommodating stranded passengers, but it is likely to run into millions of dirhams.
"We are doing everything possible to minimise the impacts to our customers. And to make up guests comfortable," the Etihad spokesperson said.
Passengers are also being kept posted of any updates in the situation, Etihad said. "We have dedicated staff located in the hotels to communicate with customers as soon as information becomes available, and to answer any further queries our customers might have."
Those who were booked and ticketed to travel on a cancelled flight during the affected period can re-book to a new travel date or cancel their ticket and receive a full refund. Re-booking and cancellation fees are being waived.
Passengers could also return to their original boarding point where possible, should they wish to do so.
Grounded: Travellers wait for news
Thousands of stranded passengers across the country have been caught up in ash clouds of uncertainty and are eagerly following news updates to know when they would be able to make it to their destinations.
Christine Hamil and her 13-year-old son Mathew were on the way from Australia to London, when they got stranded at Abu Dhabi airport while transiting, on Friday.
"We don't know for sure as to when we will be able to fly. So we are taking each day as it comes and monitoring the news updates", she said, adding that she is concerned about her son missing school.
"My travel plans were already delayed by a week in Australia after my son had to undergo a minor surgical procedure. This delay adds on to the situation."
Etihad Airways has put them up in a hotel in the city.
Although Hamil got hints of the situation at Melbourne, it is only when she arrived in Abu Dhabi that she realised the magnitude of the problem, she said.
"The problem is there seems to be no end in sight. This could be one day or one week," said Michael Thomas, another stranded passenger, who was returning to the UK after a business trip.
His business would suffer substantial loss due to his unexpected extended stay in Abu Dhabi, Thomas said.
"I am stuck here when I should have been back at work already," said Glen Barnes, who was also travelling on business from Sydney to London, via Abu Dhabi.
He used his time to see a bit of the capital, and is not sure what to do next, he added.
Hotlines
+971 4 214 4444
+971 4 203 3083
Within the UAE: 800 550 55
In Britain: 0800 917 7521
Outside the UAE: +971 2 599 0844 & +971 25 990 900
Dubai International Airport
+971 4 224 5555
Flight inquiry +971 4 224 5777
Abu Dhabi Airport
+971 2 505 5555
Has the disruption of flights drastically affected you? Did you miss out on a job interview or something of equal importance?
