Heavy winter fog reduced visibility at Dubai International Airport (DXB) to below 200 metres in the early hours of 20 November, prompting air-traffic control to divert 19 inbound flights to Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Dammam. Between 04:00 and 09:00, dozens of aircraft circled for new landing slots while ground-handling teams raced to accommodate displaced passengers.
Dubai Airports said it was working “in close coordination with airlines and control authorities” to stabilise operations. Emirates and flydubai re-protected transit passengers on later connections and distributed meal vouchers at Terminal 3. Some travellers reported delays of up to four hours; cargo operators rerouted temperature-sensitive consignments to Al Maktoum International (DWC) to maintain cold-chain integrity.
![Thick Fog Forces Diversion of 19 Flights Away From Dubai International]()
DXB handles about 250,000 passengers and 1,100 aircraft movements daily, so even short disruptions ripple through global networks. Mobility managers are advised to allow extra transfer time over the weekend as aircraft and crew rosters are repositioned. Travel-risk teams should monitor airline apps for gate changes and remind staff that re-checking baggage may be required on fragmented itineraries.
The incident marks the first major test of DXB’s 2025-26 fog season. Authorities have invested in CAT III-b landing systems and real-time meteorological monitoring, but sudden temperature inversions over desert terrain continue to hamper visibility each winter.
Dubai Airports said it was working “in close coordination with airlines and control authorities” to stabilise operations. Emirates and flydubai re-protected transit passengers on later connections and distributed meal vouchers at Terminal 3. Some travellers reported delays of up to four hours; cargo operators rerouted temperature-sensitive consignments to Al Maktoum International (DWC) to maintain cold-chain integrity.
DXB handles about 250,000 passengers and 1,100 aircraft movements daily, so even short disruptions ripple through global networks. Mobility managers are advised to allow extra transfer time over the weekend as aircraft and crew rosters are repositioned. Travel-risk teams should monitor airline apps for gate changes and remind staff that re-checking baggage may be required on fragmented itineraries.
The incident marks the first major test of DXB’s 2025-26 fog season. Authorities have invested in CAT III-b landing systems and real-time meteorological monitoring, but sudden temperature inversions over desert terrain continue to hamper visibility each winter.
