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Emirates and Etihad call centres are telling passengers affected by sudden flight cancellations to call back within 48 hours. And that there is no need to worry about re-booking. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Dubai: UAE airlines have been swamped with queries from passengers whose flights have been cancelled or impacted by suspensions.

“Our contact centres are experiencing a greater volume of calls than anticipated - If your call is not related to travel within the next 48 hours, please consider calling back later,” said Emirates on its website. “If your flight has been cancelled or impacted by route suspensions due to COVID-19 restrictions, you don’t need to call us immediately for rebooking.” 

UAE extended its ban on flights from India and halted flights to and from Saudi Arabia in response to government directives. “Our contact centres are experiencing a high volume of calls, so it will take longer for us to answer,” said Etihad. “Please only call us if you are travelling within 48 hours.”

Etihad passengers can rebook for free or use the value of their flight towards their next trip with Etihad Credit. The airline will reward customers with up to $400 and up to 5,000 Etihad Guest Miles.