Heavy rains and flooding persisted at Dubai International Airport (DXB), causing disruptions late into Tuesday evening. Operations halted for 25 mins in the afternoon, with 45 flights cancelled by 5:15 pm, a DXB spokesperson told Gulf News.

“Due to the intense storm, operations were temporarily suspended for 25 minutes this afternoon, but have since recommenced, and are now in recovery mode,” the airport said in a statement.

“A total of 21 outbound and 24 inbound flights have been cancelled since 12.02 am this morning, and 3 flights were diverted to other neighbouring airports,” the spokesperson said

According to airline activity tracker flightradar24, Dubai International Airport arrivals showed an average disruption time of 74 minutes while departures were delayed by 85 minutes. Meanwhile, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi arrivals were delayed by 45 minutes and departures were delayed by 55 minutes.

Delays to continue

Due to significant flooding on access roads to Dubai Airport and ongoing unsettled weather, delays and disruptions are expected to persist into early hours of Wednesday, April 17, according to airport authorities.

“Response teams have been activated and we are working closely with airlines and other service partners to restore normal operations at the earliest and minimise inconvenience to our customers,” the spokesperson said.

Dubai carrier flydubai also said the adverse weather conditions in the UAE on April 16 had impacted its flight schedule at DXB.

“We have cancelled some flights and are currently experiencing some delays. We are working hard to minimise any disruption to our passengers’ travel schedules and are coordinating with all parties at the airport,” the airline said in a statement.

“We will continue to monitor the weather conditions closely, and we advise our passengers to allow extra time for their journey to the airport and check the status of their flight on flydubai.com,” a flydubai spokesperson told Gulf News.

Emirates Airlines advised travellers to plan, cautioning that there could be delays on the roads leading to Dubai International Airport. Similarly, Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, acknowledged that adverse weather conditions might cause delays for some flights.

“We urge guests to check directly with their airline to obtain the latest information on the status of their flight, allow extra travel time to the airport, and use Dubai Metro for smoother transit,” added the statement.

Operational interruptions at Zayed International

Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi experienced delays, with some flights delayed by at least three to four hours.

Airport authorities cautioned passengers about potential Wednesday delays due to inclement weather, stating, “Due to fluctuating weather conditions, including heavy rain, in Abu Dhabi, some flights may be delayed.” Several flights, including those operated by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, were diverted to nearby airports.

Flights departing from Sharjah International Airport, including those operated by Air Arabia, also suffered massive delays, according to the airport’s live tracker.

What must passengers do?

Passengers are urged to check directly with their airline to obtain the latest information on the status of their flight and allow significant extra travel time to the airport. Authorities have also urged flyers to use Dubai Metro for smoother transit, which has extended operating hours until 3 am on Tuesday.

“We are actively collaborating with our service partners and airlines to minimise any inconvenience experienced by our valued guests,” it said.

“We advise passengers to check with the airlines they are traveling on to obtain the latest information about their flight and to allow enough time to go to the airport,” said a statement from Zayed International Airport.