NOT AGAIN! Drone closes DXB airspace
22 inbound flights diverted
dubai — Drone activity has yet again caused the closure of the Dubai airspace, this time for over an hour, which is the longest recorded so far. On Saturday evening, operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB) were affected from 7.25pm to 8.45pm, “due to unauthorised drone activity resulting in the diversion of 22 inbound flights”, a Dubai Airports spokesperson confirmed.
According to the statement, the airport was “working closely with its stakeholders to return operations to normal” to minimise customer inconvenience. It also confirmed the news on Twitter at 9.27pm.
On its official @DubaiAirports handle, the airport tweeted: “Airspace around DXB was closed from 1925hrs to 2049hrs on Saturday due to unauthorised drone activity resulting in flight diversions.”
According to flight tracking service Middle East Aviation, a total of 31 flights were diverted — 22 to Dubai World Central, five to Al Ain, one to Muscat, one to Fujairah, and two returned to their home base.
Speaking from the runway at Al Ain airport at 9.20pm, Indian tourist Harsh Man Rai told Khaleej Times that he and his wife were on board Jet Airways flight 9W544, which was due to land at DXB from Mumbai at 8.35pm. “The pilot announced that due to unforeseen circumstances Dubai Airport closed indefinitely. We are now in Al Ain.”
Rai said they were being kept on the aircraft. “We have been informed that all planes that were diverted to Al Ain have been given clearance to take off and proceed
to DXB but now they all need to refuel, which will likely take some time.”
The Dubai Airports statement continued: “Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators that any and all activities are not permitted unless authorised by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas including within 5km of any airport or landing area.”
Twitter posts indicated that flights were being transferred temporarily to Jebel Ali and Al Ain airports. At 8.38pm, @ENG_alzarooni tweeted: “Eight pilots were diverted to Jebel Ali and two to Al Ain.”
Unfortunately, this is the fourth time that the airport has been forced shut due to drone activity in the last two years.
In September 2016, unauthorised drone activity forced the closure of the airport for nearly half an hour, affecting the operations of 90 flights. Before that, in June, air traffic was brought to a standstill for more than an hour at DXB following the presence of an unauthorised drone in the airspace.
And in January 2015, a similar incident brought air traffic to a standstill for 55 minutes — and it apparently led to a reported estimated loss of $55 million, according to Michael Rudolph, head of aviation regulation and safety at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
kelly@khaleejtimes.com