Dubai Airports CEO Says Hub is '100% Operational' Despite 1,200 Cancellations

19.04.2024 - 12:54 / skift.com / Paul Griffiths / Josh Corder / Airlines

Over 1,200 flights have been canceled and 40 diverted in Dubai since an immense flash flood ground the city to a halt on Tuesday. It’s been three days since the storm and Dubai International Airport is still scrambling, however, CEO Paul Griffiths says the hub is “100% operational.”

Griffiths said on local radio Friday morning: “We’re in a position now where the airport is 100% operational with a focus on getting the flight schedule back to normality. It’s going to be quite a while until we’re back at normal schedule levels. We’re on the right trajectory.”

“It’s a very challenging time. The sheer volume of people displaced is significant, we’ve never seen anything like it.”

In order to ease pressures at the airport, Dubai airport is cutting arrivals and focusing on departing flights. The CEO explained: “The departure flow rate has been improving and that’s our main focus. The only way to reduce the volume of people on the ground is by increasing the departure rate [from Dubai].”

The airport has also told passengers not to arrive “too early,” around two hours before their departure, in order to reduce overcrowding in the busy terminals.

⚠️ We urge you to only come to the airport if your airline has confirmed the departure of your flight.
As we're currently facing congestion, please do NOT arrive too early. Aim to get to your terminal no earlier than 2 hours before your departure time.

While check-ins for Emirates and Flydubai have reopened, the airport said that its main Terminal 3 was backed up as travelers deal with cancelations and lengthy 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.”

Emirates passengers this morning have been told to turn back if their flight connects in Dubai, or if they arrive in Dubai before April 19, 11:59PM GMT.

Emirates is suspending check-in for all customers in our network with onward connections through Dubai until 23:59hrs GMT, 19 April (03:59hrs Dubai time, 20 April).

Customers with connections in Dubai will only be accepted at their point of origin if their flight departs after… pic.twitter.com/1FyKTWmaar

The airline states: “Check-in is suspended for customers with onward connections through Dubai until 23:59 GMT on 19 April(0:3.59hrs Dubai local time, 20 April). Customers will only be accepted for travel at their point of origin if the flight departs after 23:59hrs GMT, 19 April. Passengers already in transit in Dubai, with Dubai as a final destination, or departing from Dubai can continue to check in and travel.”

It was the worst rainfall in 75 years for