Emirates, one of the two national airlines of the United Arab Emirates, has warned passengers to expect delays in their journeys due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran; the airline has suspended flights bound for Iran and Iraq until June 30.
June 23: Disruption for Passengers and Emirates Operations
Emirates’ operations suffered disruption following the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Iran and the United States’ bombing of nuclear sites in Iran. On June 23, Emirates announced that although there were no diversions and operations largely continued as normal, some flights bound for Dubai were rerouted. A spokesperson for the airline gave the following statement:
“Due to the recent regional situation, a number of Emirates flights were rerouted enroute to Dubai on June 23, but there were no diversions. After a thorough and careful risk assessment, Emirates will continue to operate flights as scheduled, using flight paths well distanced from conflict areas.”
Services for Beirut and Amman were also briefly suspended but then quickly resumed as the situation changed and Emirates adapted its operations as necessary.
Emirates Suspends Flights to Iran and Iraq
Following the bombing of military locations in Iran, as well as retaliatory action by Iran preceding the ceasefire, the Emirates made the decision to suspend all of its services bound for Iran and Iraq up until and including those on June 30. Many airlines, both local to the Middle East and worldwide, have suspended flights within the region to Israel, Iran, and other neighbouring countries. Emirates also cancelled flights to Iran in October of last year following a conflict with Israel. Emirates has said that it will not allow passengers connecting in Dubai, where the airline is based, to board if their final destination is in Iran or Iraq.
Emirates gave the following statement to reassure its passengers regarding the delays on June 23 and the following cancellations:
“We adhere to all regulatory requirements for our operations, and follow bulletins issued by the aviation authorities. The safety and security of our passengers and crew are our absolute priority. We will only ever fly if it is safe to do so.”
Emirates customers who may be affected by these disruptions are advised to do the following:
- Ensure that all their contact details are correct via the ‘Manage Your Booking’ page, so that they can receive updates on their flights.
- Check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.
- Contact either their travel agency or the airline directly to rebook their flights if they have been cancelled.
Passengers can check the status of their Emirates flight by using Emirates’ Flight Status page and typing in their flight details.
Have you been affected by these disruptions? Let us know in the comments.
