Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, remained in disarray Thursday after unprecedented heavy rain led to airliners having to negotiate flooded runways.
While check-ins for Emirates and Flydubai, the airport’s two main operators, had reopened, the airport warned that its Terminal 3 was experiencing high volumes of travelers as airlines tried to handle the backlog from cancellations and delays.
“There is currently a high volume of guests in [the] Terminal 3 check-in area,” it said in a statement on its website. “Passengers should only come to Terminal 3 if they have received a confirmation from their airline regarding their flight departure.”
Agency videos showed large crowds of passengers at the airport, which was recently named as the second busiest worldwide.
Storms swept through the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries on Tuesday, dumping 250 millimeters (around 10 inches) of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours in some areas – the heaviest rainfall witnessed in the region for 75 years.
The tarmac of Dubai International Airport was left submerged. Videos showed large jets plowing through the rippling water, sending up sprays in their wake. In the airport’s terminals, hundreds of passengers were forced to wait as their flights were canceled or delayed.
Mohit Mehta, from Gurgaon in India, said he had spent more than 30 hours at the airport after trying to catch a morning flight out of Dubai on April 16.
“[The] condition was really bad,” he told CNN. “No one was there to answer the queries. It was all haywire. There [was] a lot of water logging inside the airport. A lot of leakage happening from the roof.”
Mehta added that a shortage of catering options in the airport’s Terminal 1 meant large queues as people sought food and water, which he said was being sold a premium.
“For eating and drinking there was scarcity at the airport.”
‘Desperate’ need of help
On Thursday, some 388 flights in or out of the airport were delayed and 30 canceled, according to airplane tracker site FlightAware. Of those delays, 246 were Emirates flights – more than 50% of the UAE flag carrier’s services – and 86 were FlyDubai. Hundreds more had been canceled a day earlier.
Emirates issued an apology to affected passengers. Some have taken to social media complaining they had been unable to contact the airline.
“Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans caused by bad weather and road conditions,” the airline posted on X. “We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected.
“While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.
An abandoned ambulance submerged in flood water on a highway after a rainstorm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The United Arab Emirates experienced its heaviest downpour since records began in 1949, Dubai’s media office said in a statement. Photographer: Christopher Pike/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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“Our primary concern will always be the safety of our customers and crew, and this will never be compromised.”
One X user with the handle Mister Funk replied that they were struggling to contact the airline after being stranded in Amsterdam when their flight to Dubai was canceled.
“We are unable to get a response from you from literally any number in the world, livechat is not responding,” they wrote. “We are stuck in Amsterdam and are in need of help desperately.”
Some 134 million passengers flew through the UAE’s airports last year, including 87 million traveling through Dubai International Airport alone. The UAE is home to approximately 10 million people, and is a hub for five airlines.
CNN
