Corporate travellers heading into or out of the UAE this week face potential schedule turbulence after the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) placed the entire country under a weather watch from 25 to 29 December. Forecasts issued late on 27 December warned that an upper-level trough would drag cool, moisture-laden air across the northern emirates, dropping runway visibility at Dubai International (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) below 550 metres—thresholds that force CAT II/III low-visibility procedures.
When those procedures are activated, departure banks routinely slip 20-45 minutes and, on worst-case mornings, knock-on delays can stretch past an hour as airline networks struggle to re-sequence crews and aircraft. Emirates SkyCargo and Etihad Cargo have already alerted shippers that perishables may be resequenced, while DHL and Aramex have warned e-commerce clients of potential 24-hour delivery slips to Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
To minimise documentation headaches during these weather-driven disruptions, companies can tap VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), which can secure tourist, business or transit visas in as little as 12–24 hours and feed confirmation data directly into most corporate travel management systems—a useful safety net when itineraries are being rewritten on the fly.
![Dense fog triggers five-day weather watch and rolling flight delays at Dubai and Abu Dhabi]()
Airlines have activated waiver policies that allow free rebooking on flights through 30 December, and several carriers are re-timing crew-positioning services overnight to minimise disruption. Mobility managers are advising assignees landing this week to pack critical documents—such as degree attestations—into carry-on baggage in case bags miss tight connections.
For companies moving equipment, contingency routings through Dammam or Doha are under review. Private-jet operators at Al Maktoum International (DWC) report slot scarcity as executives seek schedule certainty ahead of year-end board meetings. The NCM expects conditions to improve after sunrise on 30 December, but with DXB forecasting record holiday passenger numbers, corporate travel departments are urging staff to build additional connection buffers through New Year’s Eve.
If rerouting or extended lay-overs trigger unexpected visa or transit-permit requirements, online visa platforms such as the ICP e-channel and service providers like VisaHQ can fast-track documentation in under 24 hours, ensuring compliance even when itineraries change at the last minute.
When those procedures are activated, departure banks routinely slip 20-45 minutes and, on worst-case mornings, knock-on delays can stretch past an hour as airline networks struggle to re-sequence crews and aircraft. Emirates SkyCargo and Etihad Cargo have already alerted shippers that perishables may be resequenced, while DHL and Aramex have warned e-commerce clients of potential 24-hour delivery slips to Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
To minimise documentation headaches during these weather-driven disruptions, companies can tap VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), which can secure tourist, business or transit visas in as little as 12–24 hours and feed confirmation data directly into most corporate travel management systems—a useful safety net when itineraries are being rewritten on the fly.
Airlines have activated waiver policies that allow free rebooking on flights through 30 December, and several carriers are re-timing crew-positioning services overnight to minimise disruption. Mobility managers are advising assignees landing this week to pack critical documents—such as degree attestations—into carry-on baggage in case bags miss tight connections.
For companies moving equipment, contingency routings through Dammam or Doha are under review. Private-jet operators at Al Maktoum International (DWC) report slot scarcity as executives seek schedule certainty ahead of year-end board meetings. The NCM expects conditions to improve after sunrise on 30 December, but with DXB forecasting record holiday passenger numbers, corporate travel departments are urging staff to build additional connection buffers through New Year’s Eve.
If rerouting or extended lay-overs trigger unexpected visa or transit-permit requirements, online visa platforms such as the ICP e-channel and service providers like VisaHQ can fast-track documentation in under 24 hours, ensuring compliance even when itineraries change at the last minute.
