ABU DHABI // Thick fog shrouded the city on Saturday morning causing serious disruptions to all flights as Abu Dhabi Airport was forced to close at 2,30am.
Etihad Airways diverted seven inbound flights to three airports in the UAE and delayed the arrival and departures of other services. Once the airport reopened at 3.40am, most of the diverted flights proceeded to Abu Dhabi, while delayed flights have begun departing, according to Etihad Airways.
Flights are being rescheduled to carry passengers to their final destination as soon as possible, and extra Etihad Airways staff have been sent to Abu Dhabi International Airport to assist delayed passengers.
Etihad Airways expects further delays as aircraft are repositioned and flights are rescheduled. These conditions have resulted in unprecedented congestion at Abu Dhabi Airport and will lead to knock-on effects throughout the network for the next 24 hours.
The fog is expected to lift by around 11am, according to the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCSM), noting visibility had already improved to about 150 metres at 9.30am. Dubai experienced fog, but it had cleared by 9am, according to the NCSM. The centre is warming of a chance of light fog or mist tonight in the capital. Coastal highs are expected to reach between 29°C and 26°C, with lows dipping to between 14°C and 19°C and as low as 8°C to 16°C in the interior.
Passengers are advised to contact the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 (0) 2599 0000 or visit the Etihad Airways website at www.etihad.com/flightstatus for more information on the status of flights in and out of Abu Dhabi Airport.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
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UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
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- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
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if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
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How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
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Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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
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