Dubai International Airport has announced that it is temporarily diverting all arriving flights as flooding batters the UAE. On April 16, Dubai International Airport (DXB)'s runways were submerged in water, and flooding blocked the roads leading to the airport. ALSO READ: UAE suspends flights in and out of Dubai, city on lockdown Passengers were advised to check their emails regularly for updates. “We advise you NOT to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary. Flights continue to be delayed and diverted. Please check your flight status directly with your airline. We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions,” Dubai International Airport informed passengers in a statement on Wednesday, April 17. ALSO READ: 22 stations to monitor floods Emirates airline, based in Dubai, announced the suspension of passenger check-in services from 8:00am on April 17 until midnight: “Dubai customers with flights scheduled for today (17 April) are advised not to go to DXB, as check-in remains suspended for all flights. Passengers arriving in Dubai and already in transit will continue to be processed for their flights. Customers can expect delays to departures and arrivals, and are advised to check the latest flight schedules.” ALSO READ: Lessening the blow of climate-related loss and damage United Arab Emirates-listed carrier AirArabia said check-in for flights from and to Sharjah International Airport will be suspended until 02:00 am April 18 due to the impact of severe weather conditions in the UAE. The UAE recorded heaviest rainfall in 75 years, CNN reported. Some areas recorded more than 250mm of precipitation in fewer than 24 hours, the state’s media office said in a statement Wednesday. The rainfall, which flooded streets, uprooted palm trees and shattered building facades, has never been seen in the Middle Eastern nation since records began in 1949. In the popular tourist destination, Dubai, flights were cancelled, traffic came to a halt and schools closed. The weather conditions were associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula and moving across the Gulf of Oman. This same system is also bringing unusually wet weather to nearby Oman and southeastern Iran. The rainfall continued to shift east Wednesday, impacting parts of southern Iran and Pakistan, areas that see little rainfall this time of year. On Wednesday morning, Dubai International advised people to “Not to come to the airport, unless absolutely necessary,” saying flights continue to be delayed and diverted. Some 134 million passengers flew through the UAE’s airports in 2023, 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.
