Dubai has maintained its tourism growth momentum with 5.18 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2024, marking an 11 per cent year-on-year increase. The data was released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) at the 31st edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which opened today.
Emirates’ Chief on Dubai Flash Flood: 'Our Response Was Far From Perfect'
21.04.2024 - 01:39 / skift.com / Peden Doma Bhutia / Paul Griffiths / Tim Clark
Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates has had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more in the 3 days following Tuesday’s thunderstorm, Emirates President Tim Clark wrote in an open letter to customers on Saturday.
Extending an apology to all affected, Clark wrote, “We know our response has been far from perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in the terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and wait times have been unacceptable.”
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
He assured travelers that the airline is committed to learning from this experience to “make things right and improve future processes.”
The UAE experienced its heaviest rainfall in 75 years on Tuesday, halting operations across the country. In Dubai, over 1,200 flights were canceled and 40 were diverted.
The adverse weather conditions significantly impacted operations at Emirates.
“To free up resources and capacity to manage impacted customers as a priority, we had to suspend check-in for passengers departing Dubai, implement an embargo on ticket sales, and temporarily halt connecting passenger traffic from points across our network coming into Dubai,” Clark wrote.
As of Saturday morning, while regular flight schedules have been restored, the Emirates chief said the airline would take a few more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags.
Clark acknowledged the difficulties faced by customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees in reaching the airport due to flooded roads and logistical challenges.
As a result, staffing shortages and difficulties in transporting essential supplies such as meals and flight amenities hindered operations.
The recent storms in Dubai disrupted normal operations and we sincerely apologise to customers who are still waiting for their bags.
Customers who had travelled to Dubai as their final destination but were unable to retrieve their bags on arrival, may now collect their bags from… pic.twitter.com/CF9z8iwc0a
Talking about the present situation, Clark wrote, “Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are enroute to their destinations. We have put together a taskforce to sort, reconcile, and deliver some 30,000 pieces of left-behind baggage to their owners.”
On Friday, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai International Airport said the hub is “100% operational.”
The Indian embassy in the UAE on
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