Tuesday, Mar 14, 2017
Dubai: A number of flights from the UAE bound for the United States were either cancelled or delayed on Tuesday as snowstorm Stella threatened to unleash heavy snow in the Northeast.
Emirates confirmed that at least 10 flights that were scheduled to depart on Tuesday have been cancelled. Passengers bound for New York, Boston and Newark were among those affected. At least six Emirates flights, including those bound for Washington DC and Milan in Italy, have also been delayed, as a result.
“Due to the potential impact of winter storm Stella on flight operations at US East Coast airports, several Emirates flights scheduled to operate on 14 March have been delayed or cancelled,” the airline said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Etihad also confirmed that flight EY 101 from Abu Dhabi to New York on Tuesday will be upgraded to an Airbus A380 aircraft to accommodate a large number of passengers affected by the flight cancellations.
The upgraded service, however, may encounter some delays, depending on how the winter storm will develop. “The airline will continue to monitor the weather conditions closely while assisting all affected passengers and advising them of itinerary changes,” the airline said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Emirati nationals in the United States have been warned about a winter storm that has pounded on New York City.
The UAE Consulate in New York, as well as the UAE embassy in Washington, issued on Monday a number of advisories, asking citizens to monitor the bad weather conditions in the East Coast.
Emiratis have been advised to call 911 in the event of an emergency, or to contact the consulate on 646-630-2575.
The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of eight states including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut, according to a Reuters report.
Local forecasts have predicted up to 2 feet of snow by early Wednesday, with temperatures 15 to 30 degrees below normal for this time of year.
“It’s a good day to stay home,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on CBS Radio. “It is going to be a dangerous, dangerous situation.”
Winter storm Stella hit the US a week before Spring officially starts on March 20.
20 inches in New York City from the storm’s start late on Monday through to Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service warned that blizzard conditions of wind gusts over 35mph (56kph) and low visibility would extend from the Philadelphia area to Maine.
Cleofe Maceda, Senior Web Reporter; Mariam M. Al Serkal, Senior Web Reporter
Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.
