The winter fog season arrived with a vengeance in the early hours of 20 November, disrupting operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB)—the world’s busiest hub for international passengers. Between 04:00 and 09:00 local time, visibility fell below 200 metres, prompting air-traffic control to divert 19 inbound flights to Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Dammam.
DXB’s operator said it was working "in close coordination with airlines and ATC to stabilise operations," but passengers reported delays of up to four hours before aircraft could secure new slots. Emirates and flydubai re-accommodated transit passengers, while ground staff handed out meal vouchers at Terminal 3. Cargo schedules were also affected, with time-critical perishables rerouted to Al Maktoum International (DWC).
![Dense Fog Forces Diversion of 19 Flights at Dubai International Airport]()
Why it matters: November-to-February fog episodes are common, yet the scale of Thursday’s disruption highlights capacity pressures as DXB traffic surpasses pre-pandemic peaks. For global-mobility teams, the incident underlines the need for contingency routing during the Gulf winter—especially for fly-in technical crews on short visas whose permitted stay starts counting from the original entry stamp.
Operational advice: 1) Advise travellers to monitor flight status on airline apps and budget extra connection time; 2) arrange flexible hotel bookings; 3) ensure time-sensitive visas (e.g., 48-hour transit visas) are amended if arrival ports change. Companies shipping high-value components via DXB should consider dual-airwaybill options through DWC or Doha during the December–January fog corridor.
Longer term, the episode strengthens the case for the planned ‘Integrated Air Traffic Flow Management’ system the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority will roll out in 2026, allowing dynamic slot swaps among Gulf airports.
DXB’s operator said it was working "in close coordination with airlines and ATC to stabilise operations," but passengers reported delays of up to four hours before aircraft could secure new slots. Emirates and flydubai re-accommodated transit passengers, while ground staff handed out meal vouchers at Terminal 3. Cargo schedules were also affected, with time-critical perishables rerouted to Al Maktoum International (DWC).
Why it matters: November-to-February fog episodes are common, yet the scale of Thursday’s disruption highlights capacity pressures as DXB traffic surpasses pre-pandemic peaks. For global-mobility teams, the incident underlines the need for contingency routing during the Gulf winter—especially for fly-in technical crews on short visas whose permitted stay starts counting from the original entry stamp.
Operational advice: 1) Advise travellers to monitor flight status on airline apps and budget extra connection time; 2) arrange flexible hotel bookings; 3) ensure time-sensitive visas (e.g., 48-hour transit visas) are amended if arrival ports change. Companies shipping high-value components via DXB should consider dual-airwaybill options through DWC or Doha during the December–January fog corridor.
Longer term, the episode strengthens the case for the planned ‘Integrated Air Traffic Flow Management’ system the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority will roll out in 2026, allowing dynamic slot swaps among Gulf airports.
