Abu Dhabi: The twitter hashtag #bringbackuaeresidents was trending in the UAE on Monday with more than 15,300 tweets from users pleading authorities to allow them back into the country after getting stranded due to coronavirus flight suspensions, which were implemented on March 19.
“My flight [to the UAE] was cancelled six hours before departure on March 19. Now stuck in India. I just want to be with my parents. Please help students like me go home,” tweeted @rose_eye60.
“I have a chronic illness and [I am] our [family’s] only source of income, my husband has been put on unpaid leave until we return. We are renting daily where we’re stuck and are not medically covered here during this pandemic. It has been over two months now,” said @AsapCure.
“Many nurses/medical professionals and other residents are wishing to be back [to] contribute to the UAE’s fight [against] the pandemic. Help us [back] to our second home. We’re all in this together,” tweeted @dxbnurse.
Despite the suspension of flights, authorities have facilitated the return of Emiratis stranded overseas, as well as some residents facing dire circumstances, on dedicated flights.
Those permitted to fly back have to receive approvals on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internal Cooperation’s dedicated Tawajudi app.
However, a number of stranded residents told Gulf News that their Tawajudi applications have been rejected multiple times due to the sheer number of people applying and the limitation of flights. The rejections prompted the deluge of tweets on Monday as people look to return in time for Eid this weekend.
