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Business as usual at Dubai Airport

Alternative routes, however, were taken by some airlines to ensure safety and security of its passengers. "This means that travel time would have increased by an hour or so, depending on the air routes taken by the airlines. Otherwise, everything is operating smoothly from the Dubai Airport," a Department of Civil Aviation staff said yesterday.

While flights to Kuwait were cancelled by Air Lanka (4.15pm), Thai Airways (5.15pm) and Emirates (4.15pm) yesterday, Kuwait Airways' flights at 4pm and 8.20pm proceeded as scheduled. On Thursday, Gulf Air, Air Lanka and Emirates flights were postponed as a result of the military activity in the region.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian Airlines operated its normal flights schedules to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. Earlier, Zafar Akber, sales and marketing manager at Saudi Arabian Airlines, said yesterday that the airline's operations were normal and that the flights will operate as scheduled. "We will, of course, advise our customer of any changes in our operations," he added.

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Doha International Airport and Qatar Airways, said that Qatar Airways will continue with its normal flight schedule. "Qatar Airways will also continue with its normal schedule of flights to Europe, the Middle East, subcontinent and the Far East," he said.

There were no cancellation of Qatar Airways flights from Dubai to Doha at 10.30am, 7.30pm and 11.45pm yesterday.

Mr Baker made an assurance that there will be no risk to its passengers with the ongoing conflict in Iraq. "Qatar Airways will use air routes that are approved and published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). We will continue to use approved air routes over Iran to Europe. There are also contingency routes over Saudi Arabia that we have the option to use, that are safe and will circumvent any area of conflict," Mr Baker added.

Meanwhile, the Sharjah International Airport reported normal services yesterday. Ahmed Bukhalla, operations director for Civil Aviation at the airport, said: "The airport remains open 24 hours with normal operations.

• UAE