The closure of Brussels airport forced UAE airlines to cancel flights for the Belgian capital on Thursday.
The airport will remain closed as a rsult of the bomb attacks on Tuesday, which damaged its departure hall, Arnaud Feist, its chief executive, said.
“There will be no passenger flights into and out of Brussels airport tomorrow, March 24,” Mr Feist said in a tweet on Wednesday as the investigation into the attacks continued.
An Emirates spokesman said flights EK183 and EK184 scheduled to depart today from Dubai to Brussels have been cancelled, with no plans to have the flights diverted.
Passengers booked on those flights were advised to contact the airline or travel agents for rebooking, Emirates said on its website.
Etihad Airways flights EY57 and EY58 on Thursday will operate through Dusseldorf in Germany, an airline spokesman said.
Etihad is offering rebooking options for guests who bought tickets on or before March 22 for travel to, from and via Brussels until March 29.
Brussels airport said it was working with airlines to help thousands of passengers stranded by the attacks, many of them having fled without their baggage, as instructed by security staff.
Those who did so were informed they could now contact their airline to get their luggage back, it said, but they would still not be able to retrieve their cars.
The resumption of cargo services, either later on Wednesday or Thursday, was being looked at, it added.
Responsibility for the airport bombings, in which at least 10 civilians died, was claimed by ISIL. Another attack shortly after on the Brussels metro system left 20 dead, with 250 injured in both incidents.
esamoglou@thenational.ae
*With reporting from AFP
