UAE airline continues to cancel flights to Kuwait

Emirates airline continues to cancel some flights out to Kuwait as adverse weather conditions affect flight schedules.    

This was after air traffic at Kuwait International Airport had been temporarily suspended due to unstable weather conditions hitting the state, the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Thursday.

According to an official statement on Emirates Airlines website, the cancellations will affect customers who are booked on Thursday, November 15 and some flights on Friday, November 16.

As of 9.17am, flight EK853 and flight EK875 have been added to the Emirates list of cancelled flights.  

"Due to weather reasons, this flight has been cancelled. We are in the process of rebooking the flights to final destination and will send updated itinerary shortly. Customers can view their updated itinerary on www.emirates.com/MYB or contact your booking office for further queries about your booking," the airline said in a statement.

Yesterday, some Etihad Airways flights scheduled to operate from Abu Dhabi on November 15, were also cancelled but rescheduled for Friday and have safely arrived.

Flights from Dubai had also been affected, with flydubai's website reflecting the status of at least five flights scheduled to leave UAE being cancelled. 

"Your flight has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We're currently working on rebooking you on the next available flight.

"You may also receive an email, SMS and/or a phone call from us informing you about your flight cancellation. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused to your travel plans. Should you require any further assistance, contact our Customer Centre on (+971) 600 54 44 45 or the travel agent that made your booking.

They added a note: "As we are working on rebooking you on the next available flight, your new flight details will appear as soon as the rebooking is completed. If you are unable to view, we recommend you wait until you receive a notification from us via SMS or email."

For flights leaving Sharjah International



Airport via Air Arabia, one of the two which had been cancelled due to the worsening weather conditions is on its way to Kuwait International Airport. 

No statement as of yet on their official website with respect to rescheduled flights. 

The deputy director general for airport affairs Fahad Al-Wugayyan told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that arriving flights have been redirected to other airports in the GCC due to the impacts of heavy rains on visibility. He said flights are being redirected to Saudi Arabia's Dammam and Riyadh airports, and Bahrain's Manama airport.

It also issued a general advisory to all citizens to remain indoors and maintain caution while the weather conditions remain unstable.

The UAE Embassy in Kuwait had also issued an advisory to its citizens residing or visiting the country to be cautious due to the extreme weather which hit the Gulf state in recent days.

The embassy in its official Twitter account said, "Due to bad weather, the UAE Embassy in Kuwait advises UAE nationals to take precautions and follow the safety instructions issued by the authorities." 

Meanwhile, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) had suspended work at all of its companies on Wednesday due to the extreme weather which has hit the country in recent days.

Kuwait Banking Association said in a statement on Tuesday that it had also suspended work in all its banks on Wednesday. These banks include National Bank of Kuwait, Gulf Bank , Ahli United Bank, and Kuwait International Bank. The decision was made in coordination with Kuwait's central bank.

Flash floods after heavy rains in Kuwait killed one man on Saturday and damaged roads, bridges and homes, officials said. The health ministry said the man, aged 30, was swept away by the flooding as he tried to rescue his family from their home which was submerged in water.

According to Kuwait's meteorology department, rain will continue in different parts of the country over the next few days with temperatures dropping even further.