Hayley Skirka
Emirates has cancelled flights to Osaka as Typhoon Lan arrives in Japan.
Flights EK316 and EK317 to and from Osaka are cancelled on Monday, and again on Tuesday “due to severe weather conditions caused by Typhoon Lan”, the Dubai airline announced.
Travellers with connections to Osaka will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice.
“Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused. Affected customers who have booked with travel agents should contact them for alternative travel arrangements. Customers who have booked directly with Emirates may contact their local office for rebooking options,” advised the airline.
Travellers with impacted flight plans should ensure that their contact details are up-to-date with Emirates, as the airline will share the latest updates on flights with customers.
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On Monday morning, Typhoon Lan was about 260km south-west of Japan’s Hachijo-jima island, moving in a north-west direction according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
It is forecast to make landfall on Tuesday in central Japan near Osaka, the country’s second-largest metropolitan area and western Japan’s main city.
The arrival of Japan’s second typhoon in a week comes as domestic travellers begin making their way home after a popular time for summer holidays.
Two of the country’s largest airlines also announced flight cancellations ahead of the storm’s arrival. JAL grounded about 250 flights on Monday and Tuesday.
ANA has cancelled domestic flights to several cities until Wednesday. These include flights to and from Hachijo-jima, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima and Takamatsu, among others.
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And it’s not only air travel that’s disrupted.
Various sections of the country’s high-speed bullet trains are also due to be suspended on Tuesday, with cancellations impacting regions surrounding the business hubs of Osaka and Nagoya on Honshu island.
The storm comes less than a week after Typhoon Khanun caused destruction in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture.
Courtesy: thenationalnews
