Early morning flight operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) were disrupted on Saturday due to dense fog across parts of Dubai and the northern emirates.
Dubai Airports confirmed that 21 inbound flights scheduled to land at DXB and two flights bound for DWC were diverted as visibility dropped significantly during the early hours of January 3. Several departures and arrivals experienced delays ranging from 30 minutes to nearly two hours.
Emirates flights to destinations such as Colombo, Auckland, Malé, Brisbane, and Dar es Salaam were among those affected. flydubai services to Mombasa, Krabi, and other regional destinations also faced delays. Air Arabia flights operating to and from cities including Delhi, Kazan, Addis Ababa, Bishkek, Alexandria, and Cochin were similarly impacted.
Dubai Airports stated that airport teams worked closely with airlines and authorities to restore normal operations. With weather conditions improving later in the morning, flight schedules gradually returned to normal.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) had issued a fog alert earlier, warning motorists and travelers of reduced visibility across several UAE regions.
