Image credit: WAM
Emirates Airline and flydubai said on Saturday that they have returned to normal flight schedules from Dubai International Airport (DXB) after bad weather disrupted travel in one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.
“Our regular flight schedules have been restored as of this morning, Saturday 20 April. Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are en route to their destinations,” Emirates’ president Sir Tim Clark said in an open letter to the airline’s customers.
The airline said it would take more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags while appealing for “customers’ patience and understanding.”
“This week has been one of the toughest for Emirates operationally, as record storms hit the United Arab Emirates. I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted during this time.”
An open letter from Sir Tim Clark,… pic.twitter.com/R7eEJzWdRI
— Emirates (@emirates) April 20, 2024
Emirates has put together a task force to sort, reconcile and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners.
UAE budget carrier, flydubai, said it has returned to operating its full flight schedule from Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 at DXB.
“Our focus over the coming days continues to be on our passengers whose travel plans have been impacted,” the airline said in a statement.
On Friday, Emirates said it was suspending all check-ins for customers with onward connections as operations at DXB are still volatile four days after a record storm swept the UAE.
“Emirates is suspending check-in for all customers in our network with onward connections through Dubai until 23:59 hrs GMT, April 19 (03:59 hrs Dubai time, April 20),” Dubai’s flagship carrier said in a social media post on X.
The airline said the suspension is aimed at supporting operations recovery at DXB as the airport continues to struggle to clear a backlog of flights.
Meanwhile, Dubai Airports advised travellers against arriving too early at DXB to avoid overcrowding.
“For guests departing from DXB, we advise you to get to your terminal three hours before your departure time. Please do NOT arrive too early as this leads to further overcrowding at the airport,” the airports operator said on X.