The CEO of Dubai Airports, Paul Griffiths expressed optimism that services will return to near-normal levels within 24 hours, following unprecedented flooding that struck the major transit hub.

Dubai’s international airport has reopened, but flights remain severely disrupted as the city continues to deal with flooding.

Dubai International Airport continues to face challenges in clearing a backlog of flights three days after the storm.

According to the CEO, the airport has never experienced such a situation before, and efforts are underway to restore operations to a schedule close to normality.

Emergency budgets have been approved to provide food and water to stranded passengers, and retail outlets have resumed normal operations.

Arrivals at the airport are limited until Sunday.

To manage the situation, Dubai airport has temporarily limited the number of inbound flights for 48 hours.

The CEO is personally coordinating with airline management to increase the number of departing flights.

Flow restrictions on arrivals have been implemented to ensure that all aircraft can be accommodated.

Passengers are urged to exercise caution, check the status of their flights with airlines in advance, and avoid arriving at the airport too early.

Emirates, one of the world’s largest international airlines, has suspended check-in for transit passengers, while those with Dubai as their final destination can still travel as usual.

As of Friday morning, approximately 30 percent of all flights to and from Dubai, totaling 1,478 flights, have been canceled since Tuesday.

In the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways has stated that flight operations have returned to normal.

Rainfall is unusual in the UAE, which is known for its hot desert climate and scorching summer temperatures that can exceed 50 degrees Celsius. The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology predicts the possibility of light rain returning by late Monday, with a chance of heavy rain in certain areas again on Tuesday.

Dubai International Airport is one of the busiest airports globally and a crucial travel hub in the Middle East.