An Emirates flight had to turn around shortly after take-off in Italy on Tuesday when a hailstorm damaged the plane.
Flight EK205 left Dubai for New York via Milan at 9.51am.
Minutes after take-off in northern Italy, a hailstorm forced the pilots to head back to Malpensa Airport as hailstones battered the aircraft.
No injuries were reported, Emirates said.
Pictures were shared online showing damage to the exterior of the aircraft, including broken windows and punctured metalwork on the fuselage.
In a statement to The National, Emirates said the safety of its passengers and crew was of the utmost importance.
“Emirates flight EK205, scheduled to leave Milan (MXP) for New York (JFK) on 13 July at 14:10 (Milan time), had returned to Milan shortly after take-off due to adverse weather,” the airline said.
“The flight landed without incident in Milan and passengers and crew were safely disembarked.
“All affected passengers were accommodated and rebooked on subsequent services the following day.”
The Boeing 777-300ER circled the airport several times to burn fuel as it was loaded with enough for an eight-hour flight to New York, making it too heavy to land.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said the crew attempted to land but was forced to perform a “go around” before making a successful landing at 6.05pm.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
