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Planning to travel from UAE? Residents who went home share their experience
Airspace closures have significantly impacted travel plans. Find out how UAE residents are coping with flight cancellations, longer routes, and extended travel times
- PUBLISHED: Thu 19 Mar 2026, 5:00 AM UPDATED: Thu 19 Mar 2026, 8:56 AM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
For many UAE residents, getting home in recent days has meant taking longer routes, adjusting plans and staying patient as flights are slowly resuming across the region.
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Sadiq Rahman, a Dubai-based gold trader, decided to spend Eid in his home town even before the conflict between Iran, America and Israel began. However, he couldn’t get a direct flight to Kolkata and had to opt for a layover in Mumbai, take the next flight to Patna and then hop on a train to reach home.
“My journey to Kolkata, which normally take a few hours, stretched to over 19 hours as I had to navigate limited flight availability. There were very few direct options, so I flew to Mumbai first and then to Patna and continuing my journey from there. At one point, I even had to take a taxi to make the connection,” he said.
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Despite the extended travel time, Rahman said the process remained manageable. “It was tiring, but everything was organised. At every stage, there were people guiding passengers.”
Flight operations across the region were disrupted after several countries imposed airspace restrictions and temporary closures following escalating tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel.
'Things are managed properly'
Similarly, Athar Mehdi, who travelled from Dubai to Visakhapatnam via Bengaluru, said the airport experience felt different but well-controlled.
Mehdi said his original travel plans were affected after flights he had booked with SpiceJet and IndiGo were cancelled, prompting him to rebook on an Emirates flight EK 568 on March 14.
“There were separate queues based on luggage, and Dubai Airport staff were everywhere guiding passengers. You could see that things were being managed properly,” he said, adding that priority was given to elderly passengers, families and those with urgent needs.
“I thought it would be a big challenge for me to reach my hometown after the cancellations, but my travel difficulties did not even come close to what I had imagined,” Mehdi added.
Fewer announcements
Chloe Nathan, an events specialist working in Dubai had to reroute her trip to Paris via London. She said that flexibility and remaining calm is the key to maintain at this situation.
“There were no direct options, so I chose the best connecting route. The airport felt more alert, with people constantly checking updates, but everything was running smoothly,” she said.
“There were more announcements than usual, and you could see passengers double-checking their gates and timings. Staff were guiding people at every step, so even with the changes, it didn’t feel stressful, just more organised and cautious,” she added.
Travel agents said that such experiences have become common as airlines adjust operations.
“Flights have started operating to many destinations, though frequencies are still limited. At the same time, demand remains strong as people are both travelling out of the UAE and returning,” said Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels.
With fewer direct flights, many passengers are now opting for alternate routes.
“Passengers are travelling via cities like Mumbai, Delhi or even Oman. In some cases, journeys are taking 20 to 22 hours, but they are still able to reach their destination sucessfully,” said Aidasani.
He further said that airlines have been offering flexibility. “They are supporting passengers with rebooking and refunds, though response times may be slightly longer due to high demand,” he said.
In some cases, passengers who were unable to travel due to sudden disruptions were also supported in the UAE.
“Authorities have been facilitating visit visas for passengers who could not fly, allowing them to stay in the UAE until their next available flight,” he added.
While challenges remain, agents said the situation is gradually stabilising as more flights resume. “Demand is high because flights are limited, but we are beginning to see stability as services gradually resume,” said Aidasani.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
