After 13 hours in the air, a passenger plane landed at the same airport where it took off.
When Flight EK448 left Dubai at 10:30 a.m., the people on board didn’t know that the trip would be pointless.
The Emirates plane was supposed to fly to Auckland, New Zealand, and land 16 hours later. This is the company’s longest commercial route, which is not surprising.
In the end, it went back to Dubai and landed just after midnight.
It is thought to have gone about 9,000 miles before making the U-turn.
One passenger was going from India to New Zealand with her son via Dubai. She lives in New Zealand.
She told moneycontrol.com that it was a “surprising turn of events,” which is a pretty calm way to talk about losing 13 hours.
The weather in Auckland is the only thing anyone can do about the situation.
Due to heavy rain, the city had to close its airport and cancel both domestic and international flights.
It’s gotten so bad that people have been stuck between the terminal buildings and have had to wade through knee-deep water to get out.
In a statement from Auckland Airport, it says:
Auckland Airport has been assessing the damage to our international terminal and unfortunately determined that no international flights can operate today.
We know this is extremely frustrating but the safety of passengers is our top priority.
Carrie Hurihanganui, the head of the airport, says it was a “really long and challenging night.”
Our teams, and those of our airport partners, continue to work around the clock to make sure we can get our domestic and international terminal operations open safely as soon as possible,
she adds.
The airport measured 9.8 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, which is more than any other record.
While Wayne Brown, the mayor of Auckland, warns that the dangerous conditions may not end.
Brown says that up to five inches of rain are expected in places that already have a lot of water.
He reportedly says:
My team’s current focus and our big worry is that some Aucklanders might think the worse is behind us, but it isn’t.
The warm weather that has come down from the tropics is thought to have caused the rain.
Floods in Auckland 😳 https://t.co/JzP2Qb2Km1
— H.E. unapologetic DMKM (@2paisay) January 28, 2023
Auckland airport pic.twitter.com/3NHUKnyX4N
— BeyondRightTurns (@shibinvj007) January 28, 2023
From a friend in Auckland… Auckland airport pic.twitter.com/nPqQnsNs9q
— rjm (@guyfromsamoa) January 27, 2023
Yeah it’s pretty bad out here. Terminal has shut down. pic.twitter.com/oCFblXGSH4
— k u f a n ï (@tutakirichards) January 27, 2023
He adds:
It has taken some time for everyone to appreciate just how big and widespread an event this has been and it hasn’t finished yet.
The downfall was by far the biggest in our history. It was well beyond even what our emergency people either imagined or planned for.
Warm weather that has come down from the tropics is thought to have caused the rain.
