DUBAI: Flights at Dubai International Airport were temporarily grounded on Friday morning due to suspected drone activity, a spokesperson said.
The suspension lasted from 1013 local time (0613 GMT) to 1045.
The Government of Dubai said that the procedures were a precaution to ensure the security of passengers.
Meanwhile, the UAE Civil Aviation Authority said it is investigating the incident.
Held up passengers stuck at the airport Tweeted their frustration at the delays.
Never seen #dubaiairport like this. So glad to be through that. Just another 5 or so hours to Sri Lanka now!… pic.twitter.com/KJ2bNAr51a
— Ollie Mulkeen (@OllieTrumpet) February 11, 2019
Stuck for ages at Dubai airport runway unable to taxi as unauthorized drones have entered the airspace here and all takeoffs have been grounded! This seems to be happening often in airports everywhere. Recently in Gatwick also
— Anush Wijesinha (@anushwij) February 15, 2019
Dubai airport going nowhere due to drone flying around. So thousands of people sitting in planes going nowhere. What is wrong with people flying drones near airports!!!
— Andrew Todd (@andrewjtodd) February 15, 2019
Dubai airport, the hub for airlines Emirates and flydubai, is the world’s busiest airport for international travellers, serving 81.4 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2018.
The issue of drones impacting commercial air traffic has taken on new urgency after reports of sightings around airports in Britain and the United States.
In January, flights from London’s Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour after a drone was sighted. Sightings also temporarily halted arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Gatwick Airport, London’s second busiest airport, was severely disrupted by drone activity in December.
Passengers at Dubai took to Twitter to complain about Friday’s delay.
(With Reuters)
