Dubai airport briefly suspends operations after missile interception
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Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, announced on March 7 that it was suspending all its flights to and from Dubai until further notice.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DUBAI – Dubai airport, the world’s busiest for international traffic, suspended operations on March 7 before partially resuming services, after an air defence interception in the area during attacks from Iran.
“We have partially resumed operations from today, March 7, with some flights operating out of DXB and DWC,” it said, referring to Dubai’s main airport, as well as the city’s Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International.
“Please do not travel to the airport unless you have been contacted by your airline that your flight is confirmed, as schedules continue to change,” it told passengers.
Earlier, the government said operations were suspended after the aerial interception of an object near the airport, with a witness recounting a loud explosion followed by a cloud of smoke.
“For the safety of passengers, airport staff and airline crew, operations at Dubai International have been temporarily suspended. All procedures are being managed in line with established safety protocols,” the government’s media office said.
The government said in a separate post that there had been “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception”, which caused no injuries.
“The air defences of the United Arab Emirates are currently responding to missile and drone threats coming from Iran,” the Emirati Ministry of Defence had said, without specifying the targets of the attacks.
The Flightradar24 tracking website earlier showed planes circling above the airport in an apparent holding pattern.
Flights from Dubai’s main airport partially resumed on March 2 despite daily drone attacks targeting sites in the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement since deleted from the social media platform X, Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, had announced it was suspending all flights to and from Dubai until further notice, but later said it had resumed operations.
On Feb 28, four employees were injured and a terminal was damaged at Dubai airport as war broke out in the Middle East
Operator Dubai Airports said at the time that the incident was “quickly brought under control”, without providing details.
Iranian attacks have also hit Abu Dhabi airport, the upmarket Palm Jumeirah development and the Burj Al Arab luxury hotel, while drone debris caused a fire at the US consulate in Dubai on March 3. AFP
