Gulf carriers cancel flights as airports in Irene's path close
Emirates and Etihad issue rebooking conditions for travellers affected by disruptions
Dubai: Emirates continues to monitor the situation in New York and encourages passengers to check the flight tracker below which is updated every 5 minutes.
- EK201 from Dubai to JFK on 29 August will operate with a 3 hour and 30 minute delay. The new departure time is 12:00 (local Dubai time).
- EK202 from JFK to Dubai on 29 August will operate as originally scheduled, departing at 23:00 from NYC.
According to the latest updates on Emirate’s website, Emirates has listed the following rebooking conditions for travellers:
Rebooking Conditions:
The following options are available to EK passengers who have already been ticketed to travel on/after 26 August 11 to/from New York or to/from points beyond via NYC and who may be affected by disruptions to EK and/or other airline (OAL) flights due to hurricane Irene:
- Rebooking, re-issue and cancellation charges shall be waived for passengers ticketed to travel up to 7 days from the date of this release.
- Rebooking shall be made onto an available Emirates and/or original OAL flight to the same destination for travel within a 7 day period after the scheduled departure time of the original flight and in the same booking class.
- This will be at no additional cost to the passenger and if required, the validity of the ticket may be extended.
- Rebooking shall also be permitted for the return journey within a 7 day period after the original flight date and in the same booking class and at no additional cost to the passenger. If required the validity of the ticket may be extended.
- Passengers who wish to cancel their trips may have their remaining coupons exchanged for a MCO (travel voucher) for future travel on Emirates or refunded for the reassessed value of the remaining portion of the flight itinerary. MCO for future travel on Emirates will be valid for one year from date of issue.
- Re-routing/endorsements onto other airlines is not permitted.
The options as outlined above are; however, not available to passengers travelling on tickets issued as a part of an inclusive tour by a tour operator or travel agent. Such passengers should be requested to contact their respective tour operator or travel agent for reissue or cancellation.
All other rules and conditions of the ticket remain unchanged.
Etihad’s rebooking updates for US travellers
Etihad Airways said it has cancelled services to and from New York (flights EY100 and EY101) for 27 and 28 August due to the closure of New York (JFK) Airport in preparation for Hurricane Irene.
“Passengers ticketed for travel to or from New York on 27 & 28 August may rebook on alternate flights from 29 August, when operations are expected to resume,” the carrier said on its website today. It added that Etihad will operate the larger A340-600 aircraft on the route, upgrading from A340-500 aircraft, to provide additional capacity.
Etihad is also providing accommodation in Abu Dhabi for passengers currently in transit to New York.
Rebooking/Cancellation Policy:
Applicable to guests ticketed before 26 August 2011, for travel on 27 & 28 August to/from New York (JFK) and who wish to alter their flight plans as a result of Hurricane Irene.
- Fee will be waived for changing or cancelling existing reservations.
- For rebooking, one free-of-charge change to another date of travel in the same cabin of travel is permitted, for travel on or before 30 September 2011.
- Any applicable ‘Global Service Fee’ may also be waived.
Previous updates
As major New York airports shut down on Saturday ahead of the looming Hurricane Irene, Gulf carriers cancelled flights to the city's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Strong hurricane warnings over the weekend forced US airport authorities to close the three major airports in the New York area — LaGuardia, JFK International and Newark Liberty International — resulting in the cancellation of over 6,000 flights in the US alone.
Many more flights are expected to be cancelled to cities on the US east coast which are likely to be affected as the hurricane threat intensifies.
"Due to the impact of Hurricane Irene, the Airport Authority has suspended flights to and from New York's JFK Airport," Emirates said in an operational update on its website.
The airline listed EK201 and 202 on Saturday, and EK203, EK204, EK201 and EK202 on Sunday as the cancelled flights.
Emirates added that it will continue to monitor the situation in New York.
Etihad Airways, too, cancelled two of its flights — EY101 and EY100 — on Saturday to and from New York due to Hurricane Irene, as stated by the Abu Dhabi-based carrier on its website.
Qatar Airways advisory
Qatar Airways, meanwhile, in its US east coast travel advisory on its website, stated: "Due to the projected path of Hurricane Irene along the US east coast, Qatar Airways is urging all passengers to check the status of their Qatar Airways flight before heading to the airport.
"Customers originating, departing or connecting through Washington, DC, (IAD) or New York (JFK) on Saturday, August 27, Sunday, August 28, or Monday August 29, may experience flight disruptions due to Hurricane Irene."
Natural disasters have marred the growth of the air travel industry this year, spelling worries for carriers across the world.
Airlines are still struggling to come out of the massive losses incurred due to the tsunami and earthquake in Japan earlier in the year, followed by the volcanic ash cloud eruptions in Chile, and the political uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Deaths, evacuations
Hurricane Irene has killed at least three people in the US. In New York City and Philadelphia, authorities readied a massive shutdown of trains and airports, with two million people ordered out of the way.
Forecasters said Irene's effects could be felt as far north as Canada even after it weakens.
With input from agencies
