DUBAI Stranded transit passengers in Dubai are beginning to find their way back to the skies as flight bans ease in Europe and concerns about the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud start to break up.
According to Tim Clarke, the President of the biggest airline in the region, Emirates, it’s happening just in the time.
He told the press here today there would be an economic “implosion” in the aviation industry if the disruption were to go on much longer. Clarke estimated his carrier alone has lost $50 million since the start of the flight ban lat week.
Dubai airport officials were thrilled today to see a flight arrive from Amsterdam. Passenger volumes have been down as much as a third at this key regional air hub.
Still with outright flight bans or limitations still in place in the UK and elsewhere, air traffic volume in Europe was only at about 50% of normal levels Tuesday. At least 8 more Emirates flights to the UK were cancelled.
Emirates like other airlines are operating tactically, heading to major airports that are ramping up operations like Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and avoiding the still-closed London Heathrow.
This gradual “lift-off” of air travel means many of those 8,000 transit passengers remain stuck in Dubai. Hoteliers here aren’t complaining. They’ve seen occupancy levels soar accommodating the grounded travelers.
One hotel operator IS upset, though. The owners of the Armani hotel, the first of a chain planned by the Italian designer Girogio Armani, had to postpone its grand opening at the Burjh Khalifa tower planned for this week until later this month due to lack of glitterati.
One star who was happy to make his way OUT of Dubai, though, was Tom Jones. He performed here over the weekend and the “What’s New Pussycat” crooner managed to sneak away to an undisclosed destination.
As for a Fox News team, also grounded for the last few days in Dubai, they managed to secure air travel which should see them back at their London home base by mid-week.
We should, add, however, as they do in this part of the world, “Inshallah,” or, “God-willing.”