National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has canceled two flights in and out of Dubai following severe weather and ongoing flooding in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
One flight was canceled on Tuesday and another on Wednesday.
“Due to severe weather and ongoing flooding in the United Arab Emirates, which has led to operational challenges, Kenya Airways canceled one flight into and out of Dubai yesterday, Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, and one today, Wednesday, April 17th, 2024,” said KQ in a statement.
The airline apologized to affected customers and noted that it was keenly monitoring the situation.
Read: Dubai submerged in floods as UAE gets over a year’s worth of rain in hours
“We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience resulting from this situation. We are monitoring the situation and are in close contact with Dubai authorities to minimize the inconvenience and disruption to our customers’ travels,” it added.
“Affected customers are advised to get in touch at +24 711 024 747, WhatsApp: +254 705 474 747, of email: customer relations@kenya-airways.com.”
On Tuesday, heavy thunderstorms lashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE), dumping more than a year and a half’s rain on the desert city-state of Dubai in just a few hours and flooding major highways and its international airport.
The rains began late on Monday, soaking the sands and roads of Dubai with some 20mm (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified at about 9am (05:00 GMT) on Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.
By the end of Tuesday, more than 142mm (5.59 inches) had soaked Dubai. An average year sees 94.7mm (3.73 inches) of rain at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel and a hub for the long-haul carrier Emirates.
At the airport, pools of water lapped on taxiways as aircraft landed. The airport ended up halting arrivals on Tuesday night and passengers struggled to reach terminals through the floodwater covering surrounding roads.
Dubai International Airport acknowledged on Wednesday morning that the flooding had left “limited transportation options” and affected flights as aircraft crews could not reach the airfield.
Emirates said it was suspending check-in for passengers from Dubai International from 8am until midnight on Wednesday because of operational challenges resulting from the incessant rain.
“Recovery will take some time,” the airport said on the social platform X. “We thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through these challenges.”
Additional Reporting by Agencies
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