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With U.S.-Israel airstrikes disrupting air routes across the Middle East, the impact on stranded tourists is increasing quickly. According to the New York Times, NYT, and The Guardian on the 2nd, since the strikes started on the 28th of last month, at least 11,000 flights in the region have been canceled, directly affecting 1 million passengers. Specifically, in Dubai, a key tourist spot in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, officials have told hotels to allow displaced travelers to stay under current terms, but some establishments are requesting extra charges, causing continuous complaints and confusion at the scene.

Ships with thousands of passengers, including at least six vessels, are also moored and waiting at ports close to the Gulf, leaving travelers essentially stuck on board. The New York Times noted that the disorder resulting from the war’s aftermath is harming the UAE’s image as a secure travel spot in the Middle East.

As events develop, certain affluent people in Dubai are employing private security companies to flee. The process includes traveling by road to nearby nations such as Oman and Saudi Arabia, where airports are functioning properly, and then leaving the country through private flights. In reality, associated firms are deploying dozens of big SUVs to carry clients from Dubai to Muscat, Oman, a 4.5-hour drive, or Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which is a 10-hour journey.

Due to the wealthy fleeing, the cost of private charter flights leaving Oman and Saudi Arabia has increased significantly. The brokerage company ‘JetVip’ stated that a small chartered flight from Muscat to Istanbul, Turkey, costs about 85,000 euros (roughly 146 million Korean won), which is roughly three times the regular rate. Another charter company, ‘AlbaJet’, also provided a price of 90,000 euros (around 154 million Korean won) for flights to Europe. The cost of flights from Riyadh to Europe has risen to as much as 350,000 dollars (approximately 513 million Korean won).

Previously, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto encountered strong backlash after returning home by himself on a government-arranged flight while hundreds of his fellow citizens were still stuck in Dubai. It is said that he was on vacation in Dubai with his family when the U.S. launched strikes against Iran.

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