For hundreds of Hong Kong travellers, the journey home has hit a wall as multiple flights between Hong Kong and Dubai have been cancelled and delayed after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
This follows a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the retaliation from Iran led to the suspension of all flight operations at Dubai International Airport.
Among those affected Hongkongers is Yen, who told Sing Tao Daily -- the sister publication of The Standard -- that the morning flight for her and her husband was cancelled after the airport halted operations. She recalled hotel staff had advised them not to go to the airport last night after they saw the news, adding that stranded passengers at the airport had been sent to various hotels.
Living just an eight-minute drive from the airport, she described receiving two air raid alerts on her phone overnight.
With the streets largely deserted during the day, the couple chose to stay in their hotel for meals, only venturing out to a nearby convenience store for essentials.
She noted that they have contacted the Hong Kong Immigration Department, which provided her with the phone number for the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai.
Yen also mentioned that two WhatsApp groups have been set up for stranded Hongkongers, comprising about 18 members, all of whom are currently safe.
While Emirates has offered free flight changes within 10 days, she is worried about the uncertainty of when Dubai Airport will reopen.
Information overload amid uncertainty
Also facing a dilemma is Shum, who is currently stranded with her two children at a hotel in the desert area and is required to check out today.
Highlighting the staggering cost of HK$20,000 to rebook the room for another night, she shared concerns about the risk of moving to a city hotel, where further attacks or the danger of glass shattering from missile debris might arise.
"It is hard to tell how many more days we'll need to stay," she said. "We don't know how long the war will last." She lamented the overload of local information and the complete lack of clarity on any potential evacuation.
Never expecting the conflict to reach Dubai, Shum thought the closing of the airport was just a precaution but now she was left with an uncertain future with no evacuation plan in sight.
