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'Praying nothing gets worse': UAE expats cancel travel plans as India, Pakistan flights grounded
Several flights to India and Pakistan were cancelled after tensions between both countries escalated following airstrikes
- PUBLISHED: Wed 7 May 2025, 5:47 PM
Pakistani expat Abdul Basit spent all of last week shopping for his niece’s wedding set to take place next week. The Dubai resident was booked to fly home to Lahore on Friday, but he is now uncertain if and when he will be able to travel.
“Her wedding festivities are supposed to start next Thursday,” he said. “I had bought a lot of gifts and other necessities for the wedding. All the flights have been cancelled and even if I am able to travel, I don’t know if I will be able to return.
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"So far, I have not got any updates from my travel agent but when I spoke to a call centre agent, they said that things are changing and they don’t know if my flight will be cancelled or not yet. My family is really worried and so am I," he said.
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Several flights to India and Pakistan were cancelled after tensions between both countries escalated following airstrikes. Overnight, India attacked multiple sites in Pakistan as part of 'Operation Sindoor' and described it as "a precise and restrained response" to the attack in Pahalgam last month.
Short notice
One travel agent said that his agency has been fielding calls and helping their customers since morning.
“As per the directives by airlines, we are offering to rebook their flights to a later date or give them a full refund,” said Sudheesh T.P., General Manager of Deira Travels. “Since people were given a very short notice, it has impacted travel plans of many people to both India and Pakistan.”
According to him, Indigo flights to and from the Indian cities of Srinagar, Amritsar, Leh, Dharamshala and Chandigarh were among those cancelled. He also had customers flying to Pakistan via Qatar Airways, which has also cancelled flights. Other UAE-based carriers had earlier confirmed to Khaleej Times that many of their flights to impacted cities have been cancelled as well.
A Dubai resident who travelled through Terminal 2 on Wednesday morning said that he witnessed a lot of people at the airport who had been caught up in the unexpected flight cancellations. “Some people were trying desperately to get home and were asking for what flights were not cancelled while others were unsure of what to do next,” said the resident, who did not wish to be identified. “It was very chaotic and unfortunate for many people.”
Unsure plans
Sharjah resident Ajith K was supposed to travel to Chandigarh for a friends reunion trip on Friday. However, he is now rethinking his plan. “It was supposed to be a weekend trip with some of my school friends to just catch up,” he said. “However, with flight cancellations and the uncertainty, I am unsure I want to take the risk. I have to be back at work on Monday so it is very likely I will cancel my plans.”
Pakistani expat Shabana was expecting her parents-in-law to be arriving in Dubai to stay with her for a month. However, given the current scenario, she said her husband are unsure of bringing them. “Everyone in Pakistan is very worried,” she said. “It feels like an impending war. My in-laws don’t want to leave their home and be stuck in Dubai if, God forbid, something happens. They were due to come later this month. It is still too early to take a decision but we will be keenly watching the situation.”
Meanwhile, 43-year-old Waleed H, originally from Islamabad, was preparing for an important trip back home on May 14 but is now feeling anxious. The logistics company employee recently sold a piece of ancestral land and needed to be physically present in Islamabad to complete the final documentation and legal procedures. But now, with tensions rising between India and Pakistan, he’s unsure whether the trip is even possible.
“I am in a complete dilemma. I have been planning this trip for months. The land sale is a big deal for my family, and I need to be there in person to sign off on the papers, meet the buyers, and handle the formalities. But with everything going on, I am not sure what to do. The flight hasn’t been cancelled yet, but anything can happen in the next few days.”
“My wife is really nervous. She’s telling me to postpone the trip. Even some of my friends are saying I should wait until things settle down. But it’s not so simple, delaying the paperwork could cause problems,” added Waleed.
Waleed had planned to stay in Islamabad for a week and return to Dubai after wrapping up his work. But now, with the rising uncertainty, even that short stay feels unpredictable. “I have never felt this unsure about travelling home. Usually it’s just packing, boarding, and seeing family. This time, I am checking the news every hour and praying nothing gets worse.”
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.