Dubai travel alert: Emirates cancels and reschedules New York flights amid US winter storm

Dubai: Emirates has announced flight cancellations and schedule adjustments to and from New York as a powerful winter storm disrupts air travel across the United States.

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In an update posted on its website, the airline said the changes are due to an anticipated snowstorm expected to affect the New York area, particularly John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

The following Emirates flights on December 26 departed earlier than planned:

EK202 (JFK–Dubai): Originally scheduled to depart at 23:00 local time, the flight left JFK at 18:00, arriving in Dubai at 15:25 on December 27.

EK206 (JFK–Milan–Dubai): Originally due to depart at 22:20 local time, the flight departed JFK at 19:30, arriving in Milan at 09:05 on December 27.

Emirates also confirmed cancellations affecting services via Athens and Newark:

EK209 on December 26: The Dubai–Athens sector operated as scheduled, but the Athens–Newark sector was cancelled.

EK210 on December 26: The Newark–Athens sector was cancelled, while the Athens–Dubai flight operated as planned.

Passengers affected by cancellations are advised to contact their travel agency for rebooking. Customers who booked directly with Emirates should contact the airline for assistance.

Emirates has urged passengers travelling from New York to regularly check their flight status for updates. Travellers are also requested to ensure their contact details are up to date by visiting Manage Your Booking to receive the latest notifications.

The Emirates announcement comes as a major winter storm causes widespread disruption across the US during the busy holiday travel period.

As of Friday night, 1,600 flights had been cancelled and more than 7,400 delayed, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Over 40 million Americans were under winter storm warnings or weather advisories, one day after Christmas.

Airports in New York, Boston, Chicago and Toronto were among the most affected, with JFK, Newark and LaGuardia featuring prominently on FlightAware’s “Misery Map”, which tracks delays and cancellations. New York’s three major airports alone accounted for around 850 cancelled flights.

The US National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning from Friday afternoon through Saturday, forecasting up to 9 inches (23cm) of snow in New York and southern Connecticut. New York City was bracing for as much as 10 inches (25cm) of snowfall overnight — its heaviest in four years.

Temperatures are expected to drop further as an Arctic blast moves south from Canada, with hazardous travel conditions likely to persist into the weekend.

Several major US airlines were forced to cancel large numbers of flights, including:

American Airlines and United Airlines also cancelled around 100 flights each.

Airports and airlines have been urging travellers on social media to check directly with carriers before heading to the airport.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, urging those who must travel to plan ahead and allow extra time. Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that city crews were deployed and snow ploughs were ready to clear roads once snowfall reached two inches.

Similar travel warnings were issued in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as the storm system moved across the region.

Meanwhile, on the US West Coast, parts of California faced flooding after heavy rain earlier in the week, forcing the temporary closure of Santa Barbara Airport before it reopened on Friday.

Travellers flying to or from the US are advised to monitor airline updates closely as weather-related disruptions continue.