UAE airlines’ flights to Japan are operating as scheduled on Thursday afternoon as the East Asian country braces for Typhoon Ampil’s landfall, which is expected to disrupt aviation and public transport operations.
Passengers, however, have been advised to check for weather updates before heading to airports as there could be changes in flights from the UAE to Japan on Friday once the typhoon strikes the destination.
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The powerful storm is likely to bring heavy rains, strong winds and landslides to Japan — including its capital Tokyo. From category 1 hurricane on Thursday, it is expected to reach category 4 on Friday.
“Etihad Airways is closely monitoring the progression of Typhoon Ampil, which is expected to impact operations at Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) on August 16, 2024. Currently, Etihad flights to and from Tokyo are scheduled to operate as planned but may experience delays or disruptions. We will communicate any changes to impacted guests as soon as possible,” a spokesperson of the Abu Dhabi-based airline said in a statement on Friday.
Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates said its flights were operating as scheduled as of Thursday afternoon.
Among the local carriers, only Emirates and Etihad Airways operate flights to Japan.
Japan Airlines on Thursday announced the cancellation of 191 domestic and international flights on August 16 due to the typhoon.
“For August 16 after 12pm, all the flights to/from Tokyo Haneda Airport have been cancelled. All JAL domestic flight counters in Airport Terminal 1 will be closed after 12pm. Decisions on flight operations are going to be made depending on the latest weather information,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
“Flight information will be reflected in the arrival and departure information search as soon as decided. We recommend checking the latest flight status of your flight from flight arrival and departure information search above,” it added.
Another airline, ANA, also said it would cancel 280 flights on Friday, affecting more than 60,000 passengers.
Japan also suspended train operations, including its bullet trains, on Friday. “We recommend guests travelling to or from Tokyo regularly to check our Flight Tracker for the latest updates… The safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our utmost priority,” Etihad Airways spokesperson said in the statement.