Emirates airline suspended check-in for passengers departing Dubai on Wednesday, April 17, due to heavy rains that pounded the UAE on Tuesday. The Dubai-based airline said passengers should expect delays in departure and arrivals.

“Emirates is suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai effective 08:00hrs on April 17 until midnight (00:00hrs April 18) due to operational challenges caused by bad weather and road conditions,” the airline’s spokesperson said in a statement to Khaleej Times on Wednesday.

“Affected customers can contact their booking agent or Emirates contact centre for rebooking. Passengers arriving in Dubai and already in transit will continue to be processed for their flights. Customers can expect delays to departures and arrivals and are advised to check the latest flight schedules on the Emirates website,” said the statement.

On Tuesday, Dubai International (DXB) airport was temporarily diverting inbound flights due to arrive in the evening until the inclement situation improved.

However, it said departures will continue to operate as scheduled.

“The airport is working hard with its response teams and service partners to restore normal operations and minimise inconvenience to our customers. We urge guests to check directly with the airline to obtain the latest information on the status of their flight, allow significant extra travel time to the airport and use the Dubai metro where possible,” said Dubai Airports.

In the meanwhile, Emirates said the airline is "working hard to restore scheduled operations, and our teams will provide all possible support to affected customers."