Dubai Airports cancels 13 flights, delays several amid heavy rainfall
Airport authorities advise departing passengers to arrive early
Dubai: Adverse weather conditions across the UAE are impacting flights to and from Dubai, resulting in delays, diversions, and cancellations on May 2.
A Dubai International Airport (DXB) spokesperson confirmed a total of 13 flights were cancelled Thursday morning. Moreover, five inbound flights were diverted overnight.
“Dubai Airports confirms that due to unsettled weather conditions, five inbound flights were diverted overnight. Additionally, nine arrivals and four outbound flights were cancelled,” the spokesperson said.
Passengers departing from Dubai's airports have been advised to allocate additional time for their journey to the airport, as road congestion may be anticipated.
“We strongly encourage the utilisation of the Dubai Metro to get to DXB Terminals 1 and 3 wherever feasible,” the spokesperson said.
“Ensuring the safety and convenience of our guests remains our top priority, and we are working with airlines and service partners to minimise any inconvenience,” the statement added.
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Torrential rains on April 16 resulted in waterlogging and flooding, resulted in the cancellation of at least 2,000 flights a fortnight ago. Operations resumed only on April 23. In an earlier interview with Gulf News, CEO of Dubai Airports Paul Griffiths said the airport will maintain the same emergency response protocols that it fine-tuned during the April 16 unprecedented rains, which severely impacted upon airport operations and flight schedules.
Having overcome the worst of it, Dubai Airports (DXB) is ‘well-prepared’ to take on any such future crisis, according to Griffiths. He said the teams implemented plans with the ‘right people, structures, and coordination’ to ensure full-scale recovery of operations in record time.