WATCH: Passengers Forced to Walk on Ice After Dubai-NYC Flight Diverts to Iceland

An Emirates A380
PHIL NOBLE/Reuters

An Emirates flight from Dubai to New York City was forced to divert to Iceland after a mid-air medical emergency hours into the journey.

The luxury airline’s flight EK201 departed the United Arab Emirates at 9 a.m. Gulf Standard Time (12 a.m. Eastern) on Thursday, headed for JFK Airport. But nine hours later the plane was diverted to Keflavik, in southwest Iceland.

Air Live reported that crew began “forcing” passengers to disembark the A380-800, whose capacity is up to 615. Some of those people were then left with no option but to walk in sub-zero conditions across ice to get supplies, with the rescue flight not scheduled until 10 a.m. (5 a.m. Eastern) local time on Saturday.

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The airline told the Daily Beast that the legal operating hours of the flight crew was exceeded while on the ground at Keflavík International Airport, “necessitating an overnight stop.”

But some passengers took to X to complain that they faced an hours-long wait on the tarmac, and again at local hotels. They were also allegedly turfed out onto the ice in the Icelandic coastal town, where temperatures fell as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit Thursday.

One disgruntled traveler complained about how he and his elderly grandmother were forced to walk on icy roads to try to find food. “Walking to supermarket at 2 am to get some snacks. I unfortunately have a 90 year old grandma with me without her cane or walker,” Barj Singh wrote, sharing a video of the conditions.

He added: “Emirates I get this is out of your hands but the lack of communication sucks. We still don’t know when our flight is departing.”

Another passenger said she and dozens of fellow flyers were forced to trudge between hotels in the middle of the night as snow fell. Leher Kay shared a video of the inadequately dressed group, some wearing flip-flops, wandering around the town.

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“Not to mention, we’re traveling in the middle of the night trying to check into a hotel with approximately 75 other displaced guests. Walking two blocks in snow and icy conditions to get to our hotel. Many of us inadequately dressed for the weather. What an unsafe situation,” she wrote on X.

Saim Chaudhary wrote: “Unfortunately @emirates greatly mishandled this situation. Stuck in the plane after landing for 8 hours. Then another 3 hours at the airport before we made it to the hotel.”

The dozens of passengers who complained to Emirates on X were met with an automated response, urging them to fill in a feedback form. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that a medical emergency caused the diversion. They told the Daily Beast: “Upon arrival, the passenger was met by local medical staff.

“Unfortunately, the legal operating hours of the flight crew were exceeded while on the ground in KEF, necessitating an overnight stop. All passengers have been provided with accommodation, and EK201 is scheduled to resume its journey on Saturday 25 January at 10:00am local time.

“Emirates apologises for the inconvenience. The health and safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance.”