- An Emirates flight from Dubai to Auckland was forced to turn around halfway through its 8,824-mile journey.
- Passengers spent about 13 hours in the air only to land exactly where they took off.
- The plane was unable to land at Auckland International Airport due to flooding and heavy rain.
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Passengers spent more than 13 hours boarding an Emirates flight, only to land right back where they took off.
Flight EK448 departed Dubai International Airport at around 10:30am on Friday but was forced to turn back almost halfway through its 8,824-mile journey due to severe flooding at its destination in Auckland, New Zealand. It touched down again in Dubai just after midnight, data from Cirium and FlightAware showed.
Auckland International Airport closed its domestic and international terminals on Friday after heavy rains caused widespread chaos and prompted the local state of emergency. International flights will not be allowed to arrive until at least 7 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to the airport’s website. Domestic arrivals and departures are allowed on Saturday from 12 p.m. local time, it said.
Emirates flight EK448 is scheduled to attempt its trip to Auckland again on Sunday.
An Emirates spokesman told Insider: “We regret the inconvenience caused to customers. Emirates will continue to monitor the situation in Auckland and provide updates as necessary.”
Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight had a similar experience after returning to the United States on Friday on their 10-hour journey from Dallas Fort Worth Airport to Auckland, Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported.
Air New Zealand has rerouted its long-haul international flights to Christchurch via Paddle Your Own Kanoo.
A spokesman for American Airlines said: “We plan to resume operations on Saturday, January 28th. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and make further changes to our operations as needed. American Airlines has issued a travel advisory for customers traveling to and from Auckland, allowing customers to rebook without rebooking fees.”
The weather also seriously hampered mass transit in Auckland. More than 2,000 people stayed overnight in the terminals due to the flooding, Auckland Airport said.
In a statement, Auckland Airport Chief Executive Carrie Hurihanganui said: “This was a significant event that put our city in a state of emergency and certainly the airport has never been tested in this way before. But the delay in reopening is necessary to ensure the safety of travelers.”
Auckland Airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.