Emirates urges US passengers to arrive 4 hours early amid airport delays

Dubai: Dubai's Emirates Airline has urged passengers departing from the United States to arrive at airports four hours before their scheduled flights due to extended security screening times.

The advisory, issued to its US passengers, comes as American airports grapple with operational challenges affecting travellers across the country.

"Customers departing from any of Emirates' U.S. gateways are advised to arrive at the airport at least 4 hours prior to their scheduled flight departure due to extended security screening times," the airline stated in its passenger update.

Emirates operates flights from major US cities including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC.

The Dubai-based carrier has advised passengers to check their flight status online and ensure contact details are up to date through its Manage Your Booking portal.

"To ensure you receive timely updates, please make sure your contact details are correct," the airline said, adding that customers using chauffeur-drive services would be contacted directly about any schedule changes.

The travel advisory follows widespread disruption to US air travel in recent weeks, as the US government shutdown moves into its 41st day. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, more than 3,300 flights were cancelled across the United States on Sunday, with approximately 10,000 flights delayed.

About 13,000 air traffic controllers are classified as "essential" employees and have been forced to work without pay since the shutdown began on October. Reports say controllers are exhibiting fatigue and some are refusing to show up for work, creating serious staffing shortages at airports.

Moreover, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had ordered reductions in air traffic last week, requiring airlines to cut domestic flights by up to 10 percent by the end of this week.

US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy warned that air travel could "slow to a trickle" as the country approaches the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27, traditionally one of the busiest travel periods in America.

"As we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what's going to happen is you're going to have air travel slow to a trickle," Duffy told Fox News on Sunday.