Emirates Airline’s President Tim Clark issued a statement apologizing for the operational disruptions caused by the record-breaking rainfall in Dubai.
The record-breaking rainfall on April 16 resulted in two years’ worth of precipitation in one day, leading to flooding at Dubai International Airport and surrounding roads, as well as power outages in the city. Dozens of flights were diverted, and nearly 400 flights were cancelled over the next three days, with many others delayed. The flooding of roads also affected passengers and crew’s ability to reach the airport and disrupted the transport of essential goods such as in-flight meals and amenities.
Emirates Airline has prioritized the care of affected customers and the return to normal operations, with thousands of employees working collectively to address the situation. Over 100 class officer volunteers were dispatched to departure lobbies and transit areas, prioritizing care for those in need, such as the elderly.
To ensure resources and capacity for supporting affected customers, the airline has paused boarding procedures for departing passengers and limited the use of transfer passengers in Dubai. Over 12,000 hotel rooms were secured, 250,000 meal vouchers were distributed, and large quantities of drinking water and blankets were provided. Additionally, a task force was formed to sort, match, and deliver approximately 30,000 pieces of luggage. As of April 20, operations have recovered, but it will take several more days to completely resolve the backlog of passengers and luggage.
President Clark said, “We are aware that our response was not perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to terminal congestion, lack of information, and confusion. We admit that the long lines and wait times were unacceptable. We take our commitment to our customers seriously and have learned from these few days to correct and improve our processes. Despite the challenging situation, we want to express our gratitude and apology to the entire airline team, and the many suppliers and partners who have worked tirelessly around the clock this week to support our customers, restore our network, and return to normal operations. Lastly, on behalf of myself and the entire Emirates Airline team, I would like to once again apologize to all customers affected by this disruption. We will continue to work diligently to meet your expectations and live up to the Fly Better brand promise.”
