Dubai airport disrupted by floods day before holiday rush

Daniela Collins, shutterstock.com

Heavy rain has disrupted operations of the Dubai International Airport (DXB). While flights are departing and arriving with “minimal” disruption, passengers are still advised to leave extra time for journeys to and from the airport. The announcement comes just a day prior to the expected beginning of the holiday rush period. 

The airport issued an alert on December 11, 2019, warning travelers that heavy rains on the morning of the day have cost operational disruption. Even more so, due to “significant” flooding on the surrounding roads, passengers are asked to allow for a “maximum” additional time to reach the airport. 

In addition, Dubai police issued a similar advisory message. “Due to the water logging on Airport Road, we advise passengers to reach the airport three hours before the scheduled departure of their flights,” the statement on social media said.

The alert was the second on the day. Previously, the airport warned it was “experiencing operational disruption and water logging in some parts of the facility due to the heavy rains”. An effort was made to normalize operations and minimize inconvenience to passengers. 

The disruption comes just as DXB is bracing to handle increased passenger numbers ahead of the holiday season. Between December 12 and December 20, 2019, Emirates alone expects 300,000 passengers to travel through Dubai. The carrier also forecasts 430,000 travelers between December 20-30, 2019.

The Dubai-based airline expects that the busiest time for departures from Terminal 3 would be on December 13, 2019. On the day, the carrier awaits around 40,000 passengers, asking its customers to arrive at the airport three hours early “to avoid any delays”. 

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