Dubai flights: Passengers, agents 'weren't scared, knew the power of Dubai'

Dubai: As tensions between Iran and Israel escalated, airspace closures began affecting several countries, including Qatar and Bahrain. Flights to the UAE experienced significant disruptions, with many delayed, diverted, or cancelled. Some travelers, like Yvonne C Mtengwa, a resident travel writer and consultant, who arrived smoothly at 5:30 am from South Africa, appreciated the timely minute-by-minute updates that kept them informed. However, others faced harsher realities, a passenger who preferred to remain anonymous endured a five-hour delay en route to Abu Dhabi, while another’s flight was forced to return to Cyprus instead of landing in the UAE.

Sudarshana Rathore, a Dubai resident, recounted how her parents and brother’s flight to Jaipur, India with Air India was delayed due the tensions in the region and the closure of airspaces.

"My parents had an 8pm flight which got delayed to 11.30pm and it was announced by 10.30pm that the flight was cancelled. We were at Terminal 2, Dubai International Airport (DXB) and it was quite empty and deserted, I had never seen it like that. We were taking out the luggage, until another passenger approached and told us that flights right now are cancelled. Air India stated they would reschedule the flight or provide a refund, however all of the flights are fully booked until June 27 or the prices have been hiked up.” Dubai airport had briefly suspended its operations on Monday evening following the closure of airspaces in the region." Dubai airport had briefly suspended its operations on Monday evening following the closure of airspaces in the region.

Sapna Aidasani, Marketing Director of Pluto Travel Agency, shares insights on the situation: “Yesterday evening, we began receiving multiple client queries regarding sudden flight cancellations and halted check-ins. While some routes, such as flights from Mumbai to Jaipur and other international destinations, remained active, certain passengers were unexpectedly asked not to board.”

Although the GCC airspaces were not completely closed, selective restrictions impacted specific airlines for brief periods. “Thankfully, operations began to resume later in the night, and many delayed flights eventually took off,” she adds.

Monitoring official airport websites revealed a patchwork of cancellations, delays, and on-time departures. Notably, carriers like Air Canada, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines remain temporarily suspended, and Air India has officially ceased operations to the UAE until further notice.

Aidasani advises travelers: “Please check your flight status directly with the airline or airport before heading to the airport, especially if you’re flying to or from the UAE.”

She recalls the varied experiences of her clients: “One of my clients heading to Mumbai had his flight cancelled around 9 pm, he calmly rebooked for two days later and left. But another client, flying to see her unwell mother, wasn’t so lucky. Her flight was cancelled too, and despite trying every possible option, she had to return home heartbroken. Hoping today brings her a smoother journey and a safe reunion.”

Despite the challenges, Aidasani remains optimistic. “We knew the power of Dubai. We knew it wasn’t going to be a long haul. We weren’t scared or worried. Many clients called, messaged, changed, some were stuck in Uzbekistan, and we had to call them back through any flight. So many things happened, but we were prepared, and see again, things are better now.”