Adverse Weather Hits Dubai Flights; Air Carriers Cancel Services
With its 72 weekly flights to Dubai, Air India had to halt services on Wednesday due to flooding at the airport amid the heavy rains.
Air India and other carriers like Air India Express, Vistara and SpiceJet faced challenges as they connected various Indian cities to Dubai, a hub for a significant Indian diaspora.
An Air India spokesperson cited adverse weather conditions in Dubai for the flight cancellations on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to news agency PTI. Efforts were underway to accommodate affected passengers on alternate flights over the next few days. Additionally, passengers with tickets for 16 and 17 April were offered flexibility to reschedule within ticket validity.
The disruption extended beyond Air India, with reports of ten cancellations from Delhi to Dubai and nine incoming flights from Dubai to the national capital being affected. However, specific details on the affected flights were not immediately available.
Acknowledging the weather-related challenges, an Air India Express spokesperson mentioned delays and diversions affecting some of their flights on 16 and 17 April. They assured affected passengers of options for refunds or rescheduling.
While there was no official statement from Vistara and SpiceJet, the unprecedented heavy rains in Dubai led to significant disruptions at the Dubai International Airport, ranked as the world's second busiest in 2023 by the Airports Council International, with over 86.9 million passengers handled.
