Readers comment on accident

Expecting my flight to take off to Johannesburg at 10.15am, I arrived at Dubai International Airport by 7.45am. I was given a very kind and gentle welcome by Emirates staff, who informed me that due to an incident the airport was closed, at least, for the next three hours. They suggested that I either go back to the hotel or wait in the food court. It was a very professional and amicable way to deal with the situation.
Alvaro Campos de Carvalho
South Africa

When I reached Dubai International Airport, I felt that something had happened, as all the counters were closed. I checked with the information centre but they didn't have any news about it. After a while, some senior police officials arrived and informed all present that a Bangladesh airline's plane had damaged its tyre on the runway. So the airport will be closed till 7pm.
Niyas Thaikandathil
Dubai

It's good to know that the passengers were safe. Just check all the planes before flying. It is life that we are talking about here.
Ana
UAE

Despite this accident having happened at 6.30am Recorded Flight Information did not give out proper information on the arrival/departures. I was expecting a guest by AI 727 from Mumbai, with the flight expected to arrive at 7.15am. When our guest did not arrive and also failed to call, I inquired with information and the recorded message kept answering that the flight has already landed at 7.15am. This resulted in hectic international calls to inquire whether our guest had boarded the flight or not. Only after he called from Muscat at about 11am to inform us that his flight had been diverted to Muscat did we know that he had, indeed, boarded the flight and was safe. We expected better.
Udayan Gaidhani
UAE

I was on board flight EK 204 from New York to Dubai and at the very last minute our flight was diverted to Kuwait. Presently we are at Kuwait International Airport waiting to leave. Although there are quite a few passengers who were supposed to connect to other flights in Dubai but all of us understand the process.
Ilyas A. Zameer
UAE

I was due to return to Dubai on EK 545 scheduled to depart Chennai at 9.40am; but no information was available until 11am. Then we were informed of “some accident'' at Dubai airport and that it was closed. As I write this, the flight is rescheduled to 11.30pm. More than 230 EK passengers including those scheduled for various international connecting flights in Dubai are stranded in Chennai. There are other airlines affected as well.
R.Vasudevan
UAE

I was in a bus at a distance of about one kilometre from Al Mulla Plaza. The time was 6.18am. I was on my way to the office. I noticed that one flight was about to land at Dubai airport but suddenly took off to a high altitude. At that time I thought that something unusual had happened.
Nishar
UAE

I was supposed to return from Karachi to Dubai on the noon flight. I drove all the way to the airport in heavy traffic and flooded road conditions. Once I got there, a luggage attendant informed me that the flight was cancelled. There was no one from Emirates, at least visible, who should have been locating passengers, giving them information, phone numbers, possible alternatives, time frames or places to stay. I called Emirates myself from the airport and was told the flight was cancelled and would know more by 3pm. That is all. There were no offers for help or further information.
Tasnim Khan
UAE

My flight to Bahrain was cancelled. I went through security check, and only at the check-in counter was I told that the airport is closed. The airport could have told us this before security, so I need not have gone through the rigmarole of the baggage and personal security check. Then since my car had already left, I had to hunt for a taxi and return to the city in the morning traffic congestion. However, principally the airport staff were polite and in control of the situation.
Rajendra K. Aneja
Gulf News Reader's Club member
UAE

It was an unfortunate incident that brought the Dubai International Airport to a grinding halt. I was one of the many people caught unawares by the mishap, after having checked in and about to board my flight to Kuwait. The net result was that I missed my connection to Paris and had to miss an important meeting. Moreover, unless you decided on the spot to go back, those who hoped by waiting, things could change were sadly mistaken and were left without staff contact nor being able to get out of the airport. There were a lot of people sleeping on the floors biding their time, in the hope that something positive would happen. Although it is unfortunate that there was no back-up plan given to deal with the density of traffic, the staff at the information desk was extremely cooperative and helpful in the face of adversity. I am happy to say that many airlines made alternative arrangements for people to reach their destination and that made the experience a lot less unpleasant.
Neal Henriques
UAE