Dubai Airport drone attack and flights latest as Emirates and Etihad issue updates | World | News
Smoke rises from the airport after the drone attack. (Image: Getty)
Drone attack on Dubai International Airport is affecting thousands of UK flights.
The airport suspended flights after an Iranian drone crashed into a nearby fuel depot early Monday morning. Fire and smoke rose into the sky in the attack, which took place in the early hours of Monday morning. No injuries were reported.
Many Emirates flights, including those from UK airports, were either diverted or cancelled. Many flights had to return to the UK after a U-turn. Passengers on a flight departing from London Stansted nearly reached Dubai but were diverted to Vienna, Austria. One flight from London Stansted was diverted to Vienna, while seven scheduled Emirates flights from Dubai to London Heathrow were also cancelled.
A spokesperson for Emirates said: “A number of flights on today’s schedule have been cancelled. Affected customers will be sent a cancellation notice and advised of re-accommodation options. Customers are advised to check the status of their flight before traveling to the airport.
Read more: Dubai Airport drone attack forces Emirates flight to U-turn and return to UK
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Emirates flights were also affected. (Image: Getty)
“Customers transiting through Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flights are ongoing. Please do not travel to the airport unless you have a confirmed booking. Emirates continues to monitor the situation and we will evolve our operational schedule accordingly.”
A flight from Edinburgh to Dubai was turned back after reaching Egyptian airspace following a drone attack affecting Dubai International Airport. The suspension of flights has also affected thousands of people hoping to finally return to the UK after being stranded in the Middle East or other parts of the world where UK flights connect to the region since the start of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.
Etihad Airways said it was reintroducing a limited commercial flight program to a number of key destinations. Flights are planned to operate to and from Abu Dhabi and the current schedule will be announced by March 12.
The airline also added that they will gradually resume operations, initially focusing on passengers whose journeys have been affected by conflict in the Middle East.
Dubai Media Office said early this morning: “Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has announced the gradual resumption of some flights to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations following the temporary suspension imposed as a precautionary measure. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest updates regarding their flights.”
Dubai International Airport previously said flights were “gradually resuming to selected destinations”. However, passengers are still asked not to travel and to check with their airline before heading to the airport.
In one of their updates, they said: “As schedules are subject to change, we advise against traveling to Dubai International Airport unless airlines contact them directly and receive confirmation of departure times. Travelers should continue to stay in touch with their airlines to stay informed of the latest updates regarding their flights.”
Another photo showing the fire at Dubai International Airport. (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was working “around the clock” to repatriate Britons stranded in the Middle East. Since the start of the Iran war, more than 170,000 British citizens have registered their presence in the region.
The Prime Minister told reporters at a press conference on Monday morning: “We continue to work around the clock to help our people in the Middle East. As of this morning, more than 92,000 British nationals have returned to the UK on commercial and government-chartered flights. This work is currently ongoing, including support for British nationals in Lebanon.”
He added: “Our armed forces work 24/7 to protect British lives and British interests and support our Gulf partners.
“We have thousands of men and women in Cyprus and throughout the region, we have three squadrons of fighter jets working with counter-drone teams to thwart Iranian attacks. They protect our people, our bases and our allies day and night, and I pay tribute to them all.”
