UAE: Some Lebanese expats rush home, pay double for flight tickets as ceasefire gives relief

Even as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to end fighting in Lebanon was breached, Lebanese expats in the UAE hoped it was temporary.

“I really hope it doesn’t snowball into a bigger conflict,” said Roy Asmar (name changed to protect privacy). “I believe in my heart that is a minor infraction and that both parties will uphold the truce.”

Roy and his fiancee, who have been putting their wedding on hold for more than a year, spent a whopping Dh11,000 to book tickets back home to get married surrounded by their family.

On Thursday, a day after the US and France intervened to broker a ceasefire after 14 months of fighting, Israeli tank fire hit six areas in southern Lebanon. Israeli military claimed the ceasefire was breached after what it called suspects, some in vehicles, arrived at several areas in the southern zone.

Soaring ticket rates

As soon as he heard about the ceasefire, Roy decided to book tickets to go home. “I looked online for tickets, and the rates had skyrocketed,” he said. “Usually during high season, the most I have paid for a round-trip ticket was Dh2000 or so. Now, it has more than doubled and one way was Dh4500. I ended up paying Dh5,500 each for a round-trip ticket for me and my fiancée.”

Roy remains upbeat about his upcoming nuptials. “We have always dreamt of a winter wedding in our hometown surrounded by those closest to us,” he said. “We wanted to get married this December but for so many months it seemed impossible. At one point we thought we would bring our parents here but even the trip to and from the airport was risky. We tried to think of so many alternatives, but the risk was too high. We wanted to get married in a church in our hometown and then celebrate Christmas together. Now our dream has come true”

Roy said he was hopeful even though a break in fighting had seemed unlikely. “Somewhere inside my heart I felt like they would have a ceasefire during Christmas,” he said. “I am so glad my gut feeling turned out to be true. I just hope that the truce holds. For now, we haven’t told anyone about our wedding plans except our families, which is why we prefer to remain anonymous. The plan is to have a celebration with friends later.”

Relieved but worried

Dubai resident Ayoub Merhi said he has been glued to social media and news stations scouring for latest updates about the war for months. His family, including his aged parents. had been displaced because of the war and constant bombing.

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