Kochi: The Cochin International Airport here on Wednesday witnessed protests from passengers after three flights to UAE were cancelled in view of adverse weather conditions. According to reports, the operation of Dubai airport, the world's busiest international hub measured by passenger traffic came to a halt on Tuesday due to the heavy rain and flood. The Met department has sounded a red alert in UAE as heavy thunderstorms continued to batter Oman, Dubai and other major places.
Three flights to Dubai from Kochi operated by Fly Dubai, Indigo and Emirates have been cancelled, reported Manorama News. According to reports, passengers who need to take connection flights to London from Dubai are also among the passengers stranded in Kochi airport.
The passengers staged a protest as most of them came to know about the flight cancellation only after reaching the airport. They accused the airlines of cancelling the flights without any intimation and cited lapses in initiating alternate arrangements.
One of the passengers told Manorama News, that he received an email regarding the flight cancellation a few hours before the scheduled arrival of the flight on Wednesday morning.
At the same time, it is learnt that standing water lapped on taxiways as aircraft landed at Dubai airport on Tuesday. The airport ended up halting arrivals on Tuesday night and passengers struggled to reach terminals through the floodwater covering surrounding roads.
Meanwhile, the death toll in separate heavy flooding in neighbouring Oman rose to 18 with others still missing as the sultanate prepared for the storm.
The rains began late Monday, soaking the sands and roadways of Dubai with some 20 millimetres (0.79 inches) of rain, according to meteorological data collected at Dubai International Airport. The storms intensified around 9 a.m. local Tuesday and continued throughout the day, dumping more rain and hail onto the overwhelmed city.
(With agency inputs)