It's a necessary evil, but one that risks getting in the way right up to the very end. 30th May network passengers Emirates. The carrier is having to adjust its flight operations while the South runway atDubai International airport for maintenance work from 16 April.
Emirates has therefore announced adjustments to its network to minimise the impact of this closure, as the airport will only be operating with one runway during this period. Many Emirates flights will therefore be cancelled, rescheduled or modified in order to reduce the impact on customers. The airline has announced that it will be suspending up to 48 aircraft, resulting in a reduction in the number of flights. 25 % reduction in the total number of flights.
Means of direct communication with customers are in place to keep them accurately informed of the status of their flight. Flight frequency will vary from day to day and passengers are advised to consult the Emirates web pages.
Emirates is also introducing measures to optimise ground operations for passengers, as the airline aims to minimise potential delays on its network. Passengers are therefore encouraged to arrive early at the airport and allow plenty of time to check in, clear immigration and make your way to the boarding lounge. The airline recommends arriving at the airport at least three hours before departure. Boarding lounges are open up to 90 minutes before departure for long-haul flights, and now up to 75 minutes (instead of 60 minutes previously).
On the runway, aircraft rotate more quickly, the number of vehicles surrounding the aircraft on the tarmac is reduced and crews arrive more quickly to take up their positions in the aircraft.
Dubai World Central goes to the mat
During this period, the Dubai's second airportlocated near the "border" with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Jebel Ali area, will host 158 additional aircraft movementsThese include low-cost carriers such as flydubai, Wizz Air, Indigo and SpiceJet, and scheduled carriers such as Aeroflot, Air India, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Nepal Airlines, Royal Jordanian and Ukraine International Airlines.
In total, the number of passenger flights will be reduced by 32%, but thanks to the use of larger aircraft, the effective reduction in seat capacity will only be 26% at Dubai International. With the 158 aircraft movements transferred to Dubai World Central, this reduction will only be 11% in total seat capacity.
The closure of the southern runway takes place during one of the quietest periods of the year - reinforced by Ramadan. It is necessary to increase the long-term capacity of Dubai International Airport, particularly in the run-up to Expo 2020.
