11Jan CX745 HKG-DXB B-HLR stuck in DWC for 8 hours
 

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Took CX 8 hours to deplane at DWC, but they were still not allowed out? DWC diversion not much better than PRC https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...ttle-tale.html

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(Golly is a CX social media person's name? Easily confused as a separate remark - "Golly...")

B-LHR finally able to leave DWC. 08:00-0:00 =16 hours delay (it appears they were deplaned 8 hours into the 16 hour delay, but were not allowed to leave).

Prima facie pretty poor showing by CX
Can't their ground handling at DXB drive down to DWC and sort out deplaning and baggage handling at DWC for a one-off diversion? Passengers deplaning at DXB will have docs for the UAE so doesn't matter which airport they enter.

When AA diverting to MFM https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...l#post30671157 , they managed to arrange for ground handling (SATS?) go to MFM, deplane and arrange bag claim, and bus pax across HZMB to HK.Now that we know the ATC in Dubai is due to floods, nothing really CX could have done about it.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e5ebe1d468.png

Have you worked in UAE and understand how things work there?

No I admit. Not even had the opportunity to work with the office there. Is this typical?

It's interesting to see how different airlines handled this diversion. Local newspaper here in HYD reported that EK525 ex-HYD was also diverted to DWC but unlike CX, people were allowed to disembark and leave. Like CX, I believe EK doesn't have flights to/from DWC either (though being local means it is probably easier for EK to bring ground staffs from DXB).

Of course, allowing people to disembark generated other problems (especially for EK) as many were transiting and now need visa to enter UAE ...

this was due to the big rain that UAE had since Friday. Major roads, highways, etc are flooded quite deep. DXB and AUH were also flooded. This country is not built to withstand prolonged heavy rain fall. Drainage, gutter, canals here are not good. Buildings are not built with rain in mind. Google it and you will see many pictures of DXB being flooded. THe roads leading to the airport were also flooded so employees can't reach the airport. Ground handling was non-existent. A colleague landed last night at 11pm, she only managed to leave the airport at 3AM this morning. She said one luggage belt had to handle 8-9 flights at once. Plus CX does not have its own ground crew. Its operation is handled by DNATA. parts of the highway leading to DWC were flooded waist deep. I can imagine sending DNATA agents from DXB to DWC was not as easy as it sounds.

Exactly - very true. It is always easy for people to complain from a selfish perspective but being aware of the underlying circumstances usually helps.

Well a few TPAC flights were diverted today due to Taal volcano eruption in the Philippines. CX881/883 (LAX) diverted to ICN, 873 (SFO) diverted to KIX, 893 (SFO) to NRT. CX 885 flew a rather odd LAX-HKG flight - first by going east via Nevada, Idaho and crossing into BC (I have never flown/seen that far east before - even if it's routed via Alaska/Russia/China, it usually hugs the coast northbound).

Advisory issued for Taal eruption https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...on-manila.html