Global weather impact reaches the UAE

Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Disruptions in flights to and from the UAE continued for the third day on Monday due to winter storms in Europe and the US, but airlines here have reported only minor disturbances in their service schedules.

Delays in flights from many parts of the United States and Europe have left thousands of UAE-bound passengers stranded at their airports, reports say.

Passengers on their way to holiday destinations in the US and Europe are also facing problems and intermittent delays due to uncertain conditions.

Meanwhile, 20 passengers suffered minor injuries when an Air Emirates Airbus A330 encountered severe turbulence on a flight from Dubai to Durban on Saturday, a spokesman at Durban airport confirmed on Monday.

"The aircraft ... when it was about two hours outside of Durban, experienced some turbulence," Colin Naidoo, communications manager for Durban International Airport, said.

"The weather is bad in NY [New York]. The flight is delayed," wrote an American passenger in an e-mail to Gulf News. "We will see what happens."

The passenger, who was booked on Emirates flight EK 202, was supposed to depart from JFK International Airport on Sunday and arrive in Dubai at 8.30pm on Monday.

According to an Emirates spokesperson, Emirates has not experienced any flight disruptions to and from the US due to the weather on Sunday and on Monday.

"We have faced no service disruptions in Europe with the exception of a cancellation of yesterday's [Sunday] flight from Düsseldorf as well as the return service today [Monday] due to a winter storm in Germany which forced Düsseldorf airport to close," wrote the spokesperson in a statement to Gulf News.

Severe weather conditions currently gripping Western Europe and the US east coast have so far had only a minor impact on flights to and from Abu Dhabi, officials told Gulf News.

A spokesman for Etihad Airways said: "Etihad Airways has not cancelled any of its operations.

"The airline has experienced some delays to flights out of Manchester, London, Brussels, Paris and New York which were due to the need to de-ice the aircraft as well as to clear snow from airport runways".

Minor impact in Abu Dhabi

Bad weather conditions prevailing in Western Europe and the US east coast has so far had a minor impact on flight operations to and from Abu Dhabi, officials told Gulf News.

A spokesman for Etihad Airways said: “Etihad Airways has not cancelled any of its operations due to the severe weather that is currently affecting much of Western Europe and the East coast of America. The airline has experienced some delays to flights out of Manchester, London, Brussels, Paris and New York which has been due to the need to de-ice the aircraft as well as clearing snow from airport runways.”

An Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) official said he is yet to hear about any flight cancellations due to the inclement weather.

"I have heard about some flights getting delayed. But I haven't heard of any flights being cancelled due to the bad weather," said the ADAC official.

- With inputs from agencies

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