After days of chaos at Dubai International Airport, which left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded, the head of Emirates Airlines offered “the most sincere apologies to every customer whose travel plans were disrupted.”
Unprecedented flooding has caused chaos in the world's busiest international aviation hub since Tuesday. The largest airline is Emirates, which canceled flights for 200,000 passengers and delayed many.
The airline's boss, Sir Tim Clark, wrote an open letter to passengers, saying: “We know our response has been far from perfect.
“We recognize and understand the frustration our customers feel due to crowding, lack of information and confusion at stations.
“We realize that long lines and wait times are unacceptable.”
In an attempt to reduce congestion at Dubai Airport and evacuate some stranded passengers, Emirates has temporarily suspended check-in at its main hub and for passengers booked to travel from points around the world.
Many travelers are still stranded thousands of miles from home. Dozens of incoming flights were canceled on Saturday morning from key locations, leaving UK-bound passengers with few rights.
Upcoming canceled flights to Dubai include:
- Australia: Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
- Africa: Cape Town (two), Johannesburg, Dakar, and Nairobi.
- Indian Subcontinent: Hyderabad, Mauritius and Mumbai.
As of this afternoon, Saturday 20 April, Emirates appears to be operating a full schedule, with some flights being delayed.
Sir Tim, the most influential figure in global aviation, writes: “Passengers who were previously stranded in the transit area of the airport have been rebooked on their way to their destinations.
“We have formed a work team to sort, sort and deliver about 30,000 pieces of luggage left to their owners.
“It will take a few more days to clear the backlog of passengers and reserved bags, and we ask our customers for patience and understanding.”
The Independent I have heard from disgruntled passengers about delays and confusion. John Baker, who traveled from Bangkok to Birmingham via Dubai, described the chaotic scenes at the center with inaccurate and delayed information.
“I know the weather is out of anyone's control, but having timely information reduces discomfort even if it's bad news.
“There was no information. A company like Emirates Airlines must plan to respond in such situations.
Mr Baker eventually arrived in Birmingham about eight hours late, but his luggage appeared to still be in Dubai.
Other airlines have been affected: British Airways has not operated its full schedule to and from Dubai since Tuesday, with the airport imposing capacity restrictions. British Airways appears to be operating normally as of Sunday.
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