Skies closed across the Gulf, UAE and Qatar shelter stranded passengers

Authorities in the UAE and Qatar have moved swiftly to support stranded travellers after widespread flight suspensions and temporary airspace closures across the Gulf, following retaliatory strikes by Iran in the wake of airstrikes against it by the US and Israel.

Abu Dhabi’s department of culture and tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) has formally urged hotel establishments to extend the stays of guests unable to depart, with the government covering the cost.

“In light of the circumstances and given that some guests have reached their check-out date but are unable to travel for reasons beyond their control, you are kindly requested to extend their stay until they are able to depart,” the department said.

Operators had been instructed to submit invoices for extended stays through a designated channel and liaise with the department’s business continuity team for operational co-ordination.

The directive was issued in terms of a 2018 law mandating the department to develop and safeguard the emirate’s tourism industry.

A similar notice was issued by the Dubai department of economy and tourism which advised hotel operators to allow affected guests to prolong their stays under the same booking terms, preventing rate hikes or penalty charges during the disruption period.

The travel disruption comes as several countries in the region temporarily closed their airspace, triggering flight diversions and cancellations by regional and international carriers.

On X, UAE-based crypto lawyer Irina Heaver described an atmosphere of calm but visible anxiety in Dubai.

“The streets aren’t empty. Supermarkets are fully stocked. No chaos. No empty shelves. No one fighting over toilet paper. Everything is orderly. Yet there’s a quiet, eerie stillness in the air. A weary silence. You can see that people are worried. No one speaks out loud. People almost whisper. May this end very soon. Wishing safety for all people here and for the people of Iran,” she wrote on X.

In a lengthy post on LinkedIn, marketing executive Tushar Gagerna, who was travelling when the disruption began, described the uncertainty onboard his flight.

“I’ve been sitting in an airport waiting area for the last few hours. My flight to Delhi was scheduled for 1pm. We boarded. We waited. And at 3pm we were asked to disembark. Iran had attacked the UAE,” he said.

“In that moment on the plane, there was uncertainty. Hushed conversations. Phones are lighting up with news alerts. That strange collective silence when nobody quite knows what to say,” he said.

He said authorities responded rapidly.

“The UAE kicked into gear immediately. Within a short time of disembarking, a dedicated waiting area was set up for all affected passengers. Organised, calm and clear communication.”

He said they were offered free refreshments such as water and food.

“A simple gesture that said, ‘We see you, you’re not stranded, we’ve got this,’” he said.

Gagerna said what struck him most was the issuing of emergency visas.

“Emergency visas were being issued on the spot for tourists. Think about that for a second. In the middle of a geopolitical crisis with airspace shutting down and flights grounded, the UAE was making sure that visitors who had no plan to stay, who had no hotel booked, who were just passing through, were legally covered, safe and documented. Not chaos. Not bureaucracy. Instant humanity,” he said.

Another traveller, Ershad Kaleebullah, posted an appreciation message for Qatar Airways on X.

“This is an appreciation post for Qatar Airways. Food coupons were distributed to everyone at the airport. You could just redeem them at the food court. For all meals, no less,” he said.

He said passengers were later evacuated from the airport.

“We had decided to stay at the lounge until the airspace opened. In fact, we went off to sleep at 10:30pm itself. At 12:30am we were all woken up by the lounge staff and asked to move to the transfer desk. The entire airport was getting evacuated, including the staff,” he said.

“Everything was handled smoothly. Every single staff was attentive and answering questions with a smile. Even if they didn’t have answers they made us feel very, very comfortable.”

He said rooms were arranged and meals covered.

“Rooms arranged across different five-star properties across Doha city. With breakfast, lunch and dinner all taken care of and, we have assurance that stay and food will be taken care of until the airspace is shut. We are getting all our updates through the Pullman hotels,” he said.

“Folks at the hotel are the sweetest too. Incredibly kind, responsive, and with a sense of humour completely intact despite the pressure and stress. We are staying safe, as safe as we possibly can.”

As tensions continue to ripple across the region, air travel remains uncertain with thousands of travellers still stranded.

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways confirmed it would remain closed until Tuesday.

Dubai International Airport and Doha’s Hamad International Airport were effectively grounded.

Airspace over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain was closed, leaving thousands of travellers stranded.

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