The first groups of tourists who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid regional tensions triggered by Iranian attacks have begun departing the country on repatriation flights, offering a rare sign of relief after days of travel chaos and flight cancellations.
Thousands of scheduled flights were cancelled across the UAE over the past three days after airspace closures linked to military strikes involving Iran and Western allies, leaving tens of thousands of passengers — including holidaymakers, business travellers and transit passengers — stuck inside the country.
Major UAE carriers including Emirates, Etihad Airways and FlyDubai announced limited services to operate repatriation and special flights, with some departures scheduled over Monday and Tuesday. These flights prioritise evacuated tourists and other travellers who had been unable to get home due to the airspace shutdown.
Among the first to depart was an Indian tourist identified as Ravindra, who had arrived in Dubai on February 24 for a holiday and found his return flight cancelled when regional airspace restrictions intensified. He and his group were informed by their tour agent that they could board a departure flight, prompting a rush to the airport after days of uncertainty. Another transit passenger from the United Kingdom was also able to evacuate on a repatriation flight to Mumbai, describing relief at finally receiving confirmed travel arrangements.
Despite these early departures, large numbers of travellers remain stranded as regular commercial flights are still largely suspended and airspace restrictions continue to impact global aviation. Governments from multiple countries are coordinating with UAE authorities and airlines to arrange further evacuation flights, while many travellers explore alternative routing via open airspaces such as Oman.
The return flights offer a welcome but limited respite, highlighting the ongoing logistical challenges faced by travellers caught amid the broader conflict.
