Summary
- Emirates has suspended check-in for passengers departing Dubai as it faces operational challenges due to severe weather conditions.
- Several flights at Dubai International Airport have been canceled, diverted, and delayed over the past 24 hours.
- Passengers are advised to contact booking agents and check their flight status due to the ongoing disruptions.
Emirates passengers should expect extended flight disruptions as the airline suspended check-in for passengers departing Dubai International Airport (DXB) on April 17 from 08:00 until midnight. Emirates and several other international carriers continue to face operational challenges due to the adverse weather conditions in the United Arab Emirates.
Delays for departing and arriving customers
Many flights to and from Dubai were canceled and diverted on Tuesday after heavy rains caused extreme flooding at the airport. While the heavy rainfall eased by late Tuesday, disruptions are expected to continue on Wednesday, and authorities are working hard to restore normal operations.
Emirates has advised affected customers to contact their booking agent or visit the help and support page on its website for rebooking. For passengers arriving in Dubai and already in transit, the airline will continue processing them for their flights, although they should expect delays for departures and arrivals. They are advised to check the latest flight schedules and the status of their flights. The airline said on its X page,
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Emirates is working hard to restore our scheduled operations, and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers.
Photo: Antonio Salaverry | Shutterstock
Flightradar24 shows that a number of Emirates flights scheduled for April 17 have been canceled, while others have successfully departed, but with delays of up to seven hours. The canceled flights include:
- EK221 to Dallas (DFW)
- EK213 to Miami (MIA)
- EK354 to Singapore (SIN)
- EK787 to Accra (ACC)
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Historic rainfall in the UAE
As a country with an arid desert climate, the UAE is facing unprecedented weather conditions. It witnessed record rainfall on Tuesday, with 254 mm falling in Al Ain in less than 24 hours. According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), this is the heaviest rainfall recorded ever since records began in 1949. The UAE itself was formally established in 1971.
Photo: Miroslav Denes | Shutterstock
Several other international airlines also canceled flights to and from Dubai on Tuesday and Wednesday. Initially, a total of nine outbound and eight inbound flights were canceled on the morning of April 16, while three flights were diverted to neighboring airports. As the situation deteriorated, more flights were disrupted, and operations were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes in the afternoon.
Dubai Airports, together with its emergency response teams and service partners, are making efforts to restore normal operations as soon as possible and provide support for passengers. While flights have been canceled, delayed, and diverted, airlines have also been impacted by displaced crew, with Dubai Airports warning that recovery will take some time. In the last update at 08:57, a Dubai Airports spokesperson said,
“Due to the unprecedented weather conditions in the UAE, Dubai International (DXB) is advising passengers not to come to the airport unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. Please contact your airline for the latest information on your flight status. We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions.”
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flydubai flight update
On April 16, Dubai-based low-cost carrier flydubai canceled all flights scheduled to depart DXB from evening until 10:00 on April 17. Passengers who did not have Dubai as their final destination were not accepted for travel. However, as of this morning, the airline has resumed partial operations from DXB.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Select outbound flights will operate from Terminal 2, while scheduled operations are expected to resume after 20:00. Flights from Terminal 3 will resume after midnight. Passengers have been advised to only go to the airport after confirming that their flight will operate. This can be confirmed on the flight status section on the company’s website.
What do you make of the situation at Dubai International? Perhaps you were also traveling to the airport today. Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
