Emirates flies full flights out of Dubai, near-empty ones back

2026.03.16 15:50 An Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft prepares to land as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai on Mpnday. Photo: AFP Emirates is operating flights to Dubai that are near-empty in some cases as travellers avoid the Persian Gulf, highlighting the challenges for the world’s largest international airline to restore its network amid a protracted war. Flights from destinations in the US and continental Europe have been hit the hardest, with planes returning from Prague or Budapest only about 5 to 10 per cent occupied, according to data compiled by the Dubai-based airline. Several aircraft returning from New York flew with only a fifth of the tickets sold, and at least one flight during the past week departed with fewer than 35 passengers on an Airbus jumbo A380 jet that ordinarily seats close to 500. Departures from Chicago operated with half-empty cabins, according to the documents. Flights leaving the United Arab Emirates show a very different pattern, as many people depart the city on the reduced number of planes available. Emirates then flies the jets back to its hub with low occupancy. Plumes of smoke rise after a drone sets a fuel tank on fire, forcing the temporary suspension of flights near Dubai International Airport on Monday. Photo: AP The airline also has to deal with several thousand no-shows every day on outbound flights, according to one memo, underscoring the complexities in running an operation that ordinarily includes hundreds of daily flights that are nearly full. The company is offering refunds and flexible rescheduling for flights until the end of the month. Emirates said in a statement it would continue to restore its network at pace, provided it could do so safely. Given the circumstances, current inbound occupancy was unsurprisingly light, an official said in response to questions. The company said it did not comment on specific route occupancy. While passenger demand is slim, the company is

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