Travellers in the UAE are continuing to face severe disruptions after record-breaking storms battered the country on Monday and Tuesday.
Emirates Airline has resumed check-in for some flights at Dubai Airport, but advised travellers not to go to the world's busiest air hub unless their flight has been confirmed.
The move came after the airline cancelled check-in for all Dubai passengers until 9am on Thursday due to severely restricted access because of flooding.
“Customers departing Dubai are requested to head to the airport only if they hold a confirmed flight booking, and only after 9am on April 18,” an airline representative told The National.
“While some customers have been able to return home or reach their destination, we are aware that many are still waiting to get on flights. Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations, as well as secure accommodation and other amenities for affected customers at the airport.”
On Wednesday, Dubai International Airports advised travellers not to go to the airport “unless absolutely necessary”, with flights continuing to be delayed and diverted.
The same message is being pushed by flydubai. “Passengers are advised to only make their way to Dubai International (DXB) after confirming that their flight will operate,” a representative from the airline said.
Flydubai has extended a flight cancellation policy implemented on Monday. The Dubai airline resumed partial operations at 10am on Wednesday, with more flights set to resume from Terminal 2 at 8pm. From Terminal 3, the airline will resume flights after midnight.
“Due to the impact of the severe weather in the UAE on our operations and the continuing challenging road conditions, there have been further flight cancellations,” said an airline representative. “We are working very hard to restore our operating schedule and minimise the disruption to our passengers’ travel itineraries to get them to their final destination safely. We apologise for the inconvenience caused as a result of the adverse weather.”
Dubai International Airport has suspended operations at Terminal 2 and some operations at Terminal 1. A representative for the airport authority said it would “take some time until normal operations resume”.
Air Arabia – which operates mostly from Sharjah International Airport – has also advised passengers that flights are being cancelled or rescheduled.
Have the storms also affected Abu Dhabi's airport?
In Abu Dhabi, the situation is better, but travellers flying from Zayed International Airport could still face possible delays and cancellations.
“Etihad Airways flights are operating as usual after the adverse weather witnessed yesterday, although some might still be subject to minor delays,” a representative from the airline told The National. “Guests are still required to allow plenty of time to travel to the airport, and to check etihad.com to check the status of their flight.”
It was business as usual at the capital's airport on Wednesday morning, with no major delays reported on departure boards and passengers able to easily check in for flights. The airport is also accepting flights that have been diverted from Dubai.
“Within the last 24 hours, 21 flights, including one freighter and the remaining being passenger flights, were diverted from Dubai International Airport to Zayed International Airport,” a representative for Abu Dhabi Airports told The National on Wednesday.
Can passengers still check in for an Emirates flight?
Passengers arriving in Dubai with Emirates who are already in transit will continue to be processed for their flights.
This means that passengers can still check in for Emirates flights that are only connecting in Dubai. Travellers who have Dubai as a final destination face delays and disruption to travel plans.
What to do if your flight has been cancelled?
Affected customers are advised to contact the airline that they are flying with, or the travel agent that they booked flights through. Different airlines have different policies in place for flights but travellers should be able to rebook their flights or claim a full refund.
Passengers trying to contact Dubai Airports for the latest updates are unlikely to be able to do so on the phone as the airport has reported technical problems. Instead, travellers can WhatsApp the airport authority on +971 422 45555; use live chat on the Dubai Airports website; or reach out to the authority on social media.
Airlines are expected to provide travellers with refreshments when flights are delayed. If flights are cancelled overnight, it depends on the airline's policy whether or not they provide accommodation, but most major airlines will offer travellers lodging.
Dubai Airport has compiled answers to some common traveller questions on X.
Travel insurance policies also typically cover emergency accommodation costs associated with flight delays and disruption; however, travellers may need to arrange and pay for these up front, then reclaim costs from their insurer.
In Dubai airport, food and refreshments are being distributed but the airport is facing supply challenges. By Thursday morning, food had been distributed across Terminal 1, with more on the way. Food was being handed out in Terminal 2 and restaurants in Terminal 3 were open and accepting meal vouchers that passengers have been given.
Airport hotels in Dubai are full – where can travellers stay instead?
With many travellers stranded in Dubai, airport hotels are experiencing high capacity.
The Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport is fully booked, as is the Premier Inn Dubai International Airport Hotel, which suffered minor storm damage.
“The nearest hotel to the airport that still has availability is Premier Inn Dubai Dragon Mart,” a spokesperson for the hotel brand told The National.
Several areas around the airport are waterlogged or obstructed, so travellers looking to book a hotel would be advised to opt for a property on the airport side of town, but not so close to be caught up in flooding and the aftermath of the storms.
Reasonably priced options with room availability at the time of writing include the Swissotel Al Ghurair Dubai and Ramada by Wyndham Dubai Deira, both of which are close to a metro station. Al Jaddaf Rotana also has rooms available and is located within a short drive of the airport, traffic permitting.
Is public transport in operation at Dubai International Airport?
Travellers can also use the Dubai Metro to arrive at or leave the airport. The Red Line operates from Dubai International Airport and the city's Roads and Transport Authority confirmed on Wednesday that it is operational.
Is it possible to drive to Dubai International Airport?
The roads getting to and from the airport are exceptionally busy and drivers should expect major delays when making the journey. However, access is possible, and easiest in a 4x4 vehicle and by following diversions and using Google Maps or Waze for updates on road closures.
If you have friends or family stranded at the airport – picking them up might be a better option than asking them to take taxis or use ride-sharing cars as these are in very short supply with some people waiting hours to leave.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Racecard
6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m
8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m
10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Brown/Black belt finals
3pm: 49kg female: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) v Thamires Aquino (BRA)
3.07pm: 56kg male: Hiago George (BRA) v Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA)
3.14pm: 55kg female: Amal Amjahid (BEL) v Bianca Basilio (BRA)
3.21pm: 62kg male: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) v Joao Miyao (BRA)
3.28pm: 62kg female: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR)
3.35pm: 69kg male: Isaac Doederlein (BRA) v Paulo Miyao (BRA)
3.42pm: 70kg female: Thamara Silva (BRA) v Alessandra Moss (AUS)
3.49pm: 77kg male: Oliver Lovell (GBR) v Tommy Langarkar (NOR)
3.56pm: 85kg male: Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE) v Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA)
4.03pm: 90kg female: Claire-France Thevenon (FRA) v Gabreili Passanha (BRA)
4.10pm: 94kg male: Adam Wardzinski (POL) v Kaynan Duarte (BRA)
4.17pm: 110kg male: Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE) v Joao Rocha (BRA
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Mobile phone packages comparison
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Iran's dirty tricks to dodge sanctions
There’s increased scrutiny on the tricks being used to keep commodities flowing to and from blacklisted countries. Here’s a description of how some work.
1 Going Dark
A common method to transport Iranian oil with stealth is to turn off the Automatic Identification System, an electronic device that pinpoints a ship’s location. Known as going dark, a vessel flicks the switch before berthing and typically reappears days later, masking the location of its load or discharge port.
2. Ship-to-Ship Transfers
A first vessel will take its clandestine cargo away from the country in question before transferring it to a waiting ship, all of this happening out of sight. The vessels will then sail in different directions. For about a third of Iranian exports, more than one tanker typically handles a load before it’s delivered to its final destination, analysts say.
3. Fake Destinations
Signaling the wrong destination to load or unload is another technique. Ships that intend to take cargo from Iran may indicate their loading ports in sanction-free places like Iraq. Ships can keep changing their destinations and end up not berthing at any of them.
4. Rebranded Barrels
Iranian barrels can also be rebranded as oil from a nation free from sanctions such as Iraq. The countries share fields along their border and the crude has similar characteristics. Oil from these deposits can be trucked out to another port and documents forged to hide Iran as the origin.
* Bloomberg
Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
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Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
