I am scheduled to fly MEL-DXB-BRU with EK on 3 April (which is an eternity away, and what things will look like by then is anyone's guess). I am unsure whether to book a refundable and very expensive backup fare on another airline, likely CX, or whether to put my trust in EK that they will rebook me onto something else that will get me to BRU on time. I booked through an OTA and do not have status. Grateful for any advice

New update with significantly extended dates:

Customer advisory Customers booked to travel between 28 February until and including 31 March have these options: Rebook on an alternate flight. You can rebook on another flight to your intended destination for travel on or before 30 April. If you booked your flight with a travel agent, you must contact them. If you booked with us directly, contact us. Request for refund. You can request for a refund of your ticket by completing the refund form if you booked with us directly. If you booked your flights with a travel agent, please contact them

Can anyone explain, if everything else is working porperly at DXB Airport? Like security lines, trains, busses and most important lounges? Are they all opens and provide full service?

Do you know if this is rebooked onto an alternative EK flight, or rebooked onto an alternative flight with another carrier?

Does anyone know if EK164 Dublin to Dubai is going ahead tonight 5th March?

The inbound flight EK163 is currently on the way, but my booking says "disrupted", but all indications are that it is going ahead.

I managed to leave Dubai yesterday.

I originally had a Swiss ticket, but due to my HON Circle status I received an endorsement on an Emirates ticket. Fortunately, the last flight that I selected before Emirates blocked third-party access to its inventory was the one that actually operated, so I was able to leave.

That's all the information I have. I don't know the operational procedures at Terminal 1.

1. Check-in counters open three hours prior to departure. If you have a confirmed ticket, there is no need to arrive early as they will not admit you before then.

2. The shops in the general area are not operating properly.

3. The Emirates lounge is open. However, the first class section appears to be closed.

4. The shops within the duty-free zone are operating normally.

5. In-flight services are operating as normal. However, meals were not served before passing through Dubai and Oman airspace.

I wish everyone who is remaining in or around Dubai luck and safety.

If EK have contacted you to reach the airport then yes, you should go.

The "disrupted" message is a standard message that shows on the app regardless.

Yesterday, the Biz Lounge appeared to be operating normally, while I'm afraid I don't know about F. When I went, I couldn't get in.

I just booked it about an hour ago and the flight is today. Should I still expect them to contact me or they will only contact me if it is cancelled? To note, this is not a flight departing from DXB, but rather from Dublin to DXB if that matters. Thanks!

As of 5 March, Terminal 3 is as follows:

- Concourse B is closed (due to damage) so EK flights are taking off from A.

- Check in and security is 100% normal and functional. There’s just an officer at the entrance that checks your flight and lets you in.

- Duty free is open and functional as normal

- About 80% of the cafés and restaurants are open.

- J lounge is fully open and functional

- Only one side of F lounge is open. À la carte menu is more limited than normal, but buffet is more or less normal.

Overall very impressed by DXB.

FWIW, I just tried on one booking for late-March (booked via AmEx Travel). They said it had to be on Emirates.

I can see it going either way, so will try again later today.

EK164 is showing on Dublin Airports website as "On Schedule" - the earlier EK162 is listed as "Cancelled"
It is also possible to make a booking on this evenings EK162 on Emirates.com
I guess if you are not transiting in DXB then indications are good.

mistake foroum

Emirates has officially published the list of flights operating, if you alraedy have a booking on these flights they will be going ahead:

https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents...s-schedule.pdf

You may also purchase seats on these flights. Please ignore my previous posts as they will be out of date.

I had a flight Tuesday 3 March that was obviously cancelled, I re-booked to depart next Friday the 13th.

I know no one can really answer this for me, but I saw someone post that they have cancelled some flights up to the 15th already. Should I expect there is any chance these flights operate as normal next week or should I just be moving this further out now while they have the waiver? I also don't want to get in the way of people needing to get somewhere and taking up limited capacity. This is non essential business travel, so I can push it but would prefer not to.

I read online and have heard elsewhere that they are only accepting pax who's final destination is DXB if they are residents here in Dubai, or have a connecting flight onwards that is already confirmed as operating.

I would assume if the 164 is bookable today then it is planned to go ahead. But FYI we have just had a phone alert about new incoming missiles and to stay indoors. From flightradar it looks like they held the incoming flights for about 30 minutes, and then they continued to land (EK8 from LHR has just touched down). SO im guessing it was just a short term problem as departures and arrivals appear to have resumed.

I've not seen an answer to a question I'm about to put, with regards to departure airports. Hopefully a Flyer Talker can shed some light on this.
Towards the end of the month I'm due to to fly from London STN to AKL with an overnight stopover in DXB, in F. (Fingers crossed that this'll actually happen.)

When I made the booking last year, I also arranged the chauffeur pick ups at the same time.
As LHR and LGW are the only 2 airports for London on the list will I be asked which one of those 2 I'd like to fly from or, will that decision be made for me?
Also as STN is nearer to where I live, hence my choice, the drive to and from those other 2 airports is further away.
Would I have to pay the extra charge or will EK waive it?

If your flight is at the end of the month, I would wait to see how things progress given there's still a runway of approx 3 weeks. I would look at 2 things in the upcoming weeks -- (a) how things progress in the next 7 days approx re: gradual re-integration of other flight routes, as EK was able to ramp up relatively quickly from 0 flights, to a tightly controlled, transponder-registered flights, to a registered safe corridor in effectively 4 days, and (b) how things like immediately after Ramadan (19 - 20 March) as that could push things in either direction once the Holy Month is over.

However, to answer your question the best I can -- they would likely automatically assign you LHR or LGW, but if you don't like it, simply call in to have it changed to the other option. I suspect [my pure speculation] that if you're moved onto the new flight from LGW or LHR, you will only get the standard distance allowance, and that agents helping book your chauffer won't be able to override the system, and if you called the local provider, they won't have any record of your switchover from STN so they won't be willing to bend the rules, either.

Thank you, BA Humbug for your detailed advice.
It was much appreciated.

Cypress.

Just flew HYD-DXB-JFK in F, and glad I stuck with EK instead of my backup on LH.

Huge kudos to EK for making things feel as normal as possible. Other than minor things like DXB feeling deserted (B concourse looked completely closed/dark as we taxied by with no aircraft at any gate), half the F lounge being closed, and only a limited à la carte menu in the F lounge, everything else felt completely normal. The F transit escort to lounge is still being offered as well.

More than anything though, the amazing service from everyone at EK stood out. From the flight crew to the servers in the lounge, everyone had smiles on their faces and provided the usual outstanding service, even though I can imagine they’ve had quite the week.

They’re all optimistic about the situation and hoping things can get back to as normal as possible soon, and I hope the same. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly back through DXB again over the next few weeks.

Most people are delusional when their livelihoods are at stake. Staying with companies even knowing that things are in a tail spin and a lay off or bankruptcy is likely. Then when one lives in a place which fines or jails people for any criticism of the situation in the country, one needs to be skeptical of any information coming out of the region. The fact is that airlines in the Gulf region are in serious trouble in the short term. With rising oil prices, lack of desire in the short term for anybody to transit the region, combined with the risk that airplanes may be hit at any moment due to the increasing instability, things are unlikely to improve any time soon.

That's kind of unusual that you're able to do a normal transit flight through Dubai, while there are still tens of thousands of people desperate to get out of there who can't.

Precisely. The first priority should be getting displaced people back to where they need to be.

The account stated they are optimistic about the future. Nothing wrong with hoping for something positive in the future. Labelling people delusional when neither they nor you know what will happen is slightly ironic.

Well if you were already booked on this date/flights from way back when (as I was) and the flights are operating, seems reasonable to be allowed to travel as originally scheduled.

Return flight to LHR
 

I have a return flight booked from JNB to LHR, F class, for Wednesday 11 March
(EK764 / EK005). What is the chance that these flights will go ? Plus any ideas about Visa’s. I arrived JNB on 25/12/25. So if I have to stay longer then 14 days more, I will exceed my 90 day tourist visa. Appreciate your input

Last year I booked a return trip in First to fly out from London STN to AKL on 30/3 and fly back to STN via DXB on 16/4. Have discovered that STN is off their list, so I'll have to change it to London LHR.
In the Manage Booking section, I've been instructed to contact them to make the changes.
The UK number ending in 2777 is constantly busy and I don't have status to use their WhatsApp number.
So, where do I go from here?

Unless locals have a quick fix, I’m afraid patience is needed. My family member trying to return has spent the best part of 2 days constantly on the phone to Emirates without success until today. They got rebooked on Tuesday back to LHR, a week late and their second rebooking, frustrating I know but as more aircraft leave DXB hopefully things will improve.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3cb85c1cc.jpeg

It is truly impressive if not surreal to view this shot. This is right at midnight on a Friday. How can Dubai achieve this ? Their neighbors in Abu Dhabi are quiet by comparison and Doha is at zero operations. Emirates is the most professionally run of the ME3 but this is beyond that !

Thank you for that, but I'm concerned that I may miss out with my preferred LHR departures & returns. As a result it could have a knock on affect with those connecting flights to and from AKL.

Which EK flight operated to Switzerland on Wednesday (as you mention a LX ticket, I assume you mean a flight to Switzerland, and since you refer to yesterday with a Thursday post I assume you must be referring to Wednesday)? Asking since I was on EK85 yesterday (Thursday), and thought that was the first EK flight to operate to Switzerland post-airspace closure. Also have to give it to the UAE and EK, to pull off commercial flight operations of that magnitude (and largely normal service) under the current circumstances is more than impressive!

Highly impressive or highly irresponsible, certainly one or the other. As they said on Avtalk, not sure how they're doing it.

Well, I managed to speak to someone and was told that EK plans to bring back STN into the fold.
I was advised to contact them 5 days before I leave when the situation should be clearer.

Looks like DXB came to a stop again this morning, many incoming flights holding for 60 to 90 minutes already.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fd3635221.jpeg

Airport report... 0821... 7 March

No flights landing or taking off. All inbound in holding patterns.

First check-in open.

First lounge Concourse A serving full menu.

Can't see that many A388 holding so close together... GPS jamming???

Agreed

A few flights landed and now all inbounds turning away from airport.

Hoping for the best in the future is much different than trying to project that everything is normal as they are literally shooting down incoming missiles over the airport while planes are trying to land. Things will not be back to normal any time soon and being in denial about that is well..delusional.

Incoming from CDG is diverting to DWC. I bet there will be more. It was impressive how quickly EK restored flights, but probably a bit too early.