DUBAI – Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Dubai airports after Air Blue cancelled several flights, including three on December 11, leaving families and travelers in distress.
Passengers, some of whom had already traveled long distances to reach the airport, were left without any clear explanation for the cancellations, sparking frustration and confusion.
One such family, traveling from Al Ain, shared their ordeal. Their flight from Sharjah to Lahore, originally scheduled for December 10, was cancelled without prior notice. After traveling 148 kilometers to the airport, they were informed at the gate that the flight had been cancelled. The family was then rescheduled for a flight from Dubai to Lahore on December 11. Unfortunately, they faced the same situation, with the flight again cancelled upon their arrival at Dubai Airport.
“Such mismanagement is unacceptable,” Ayesha, a family member, told Daily Pakistan. “We were not informed in advance, and this is the second time we traveled all the way to the airport only to find out the flight was cancelled.”
The airline officials were unable to provide a clear reason for the cancellations. Some passengers were told that there was a technical issue with the aircraft, while others were informed that the planes had not yet arrived from Pakistan.
This lack of communication only added to the passengers’ distress, especially considering the long journeys they had undertaken to reach the airport.
Ayesha expressed her frustration, stating, “You can’t imagine how difficult it is to travel with luggage for six passengers, only to be told that the flight is cancelled. This lack of proper communication is causing a lot of mental stress for families.”
As of December 12, Air Blue officials informed the family that their flight from Dubai to Lahore would now depart at 6:45 pm, though many passengers remained skeptical, given the airline’s track record of cancellations.
The authorities in the UAE have yet to comment on the issue, but passengers are urging them to take action against the airline for its ongoing mismanagement.
Air Blue has yet to provide an official statement regarding the flight cancellations, and passengers are waiting to see if their rescheduled flights will take off as planned.
