Stranded travelers in the Middle East share their accounts of being stuck during the war

Hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded across the Middle East amid the U.S. and Israel’s joint war against Iran. And between swaths of flight cancellations and airspace closures, many are still scrambling for next steps.

In a matter of days, the conflict has continued to escalate — particularly with strikes in the Gulf states where, beyond the Middle East, airports serve as critical hubs connecting travelers going to Europe, Africa and Asia. Despite ongoing evacuation efforts, flights remain deeply disrupted. Many tourists, business travelers, migrant workers and others are navigating it all.

Some travelers shared their stories with The Associated Press. Here’s a glimpse of what they’ve experienced.

A European couple stranded with their children

Viktoriia Lokhmatova, who lives in Serbia, and Michael Crepin, who lives in Belgium, had traveled to Dubai with their children for a special milestone.

Although the couple have been together for more than a year, the trip was the first time their children — her 8-year-old daughter, Anny, and his 13-year-old son, Gabriel, — would meet in person. And all four were celebrating their birthdays in February.

But their plans changed when their return flight was canceled amid regional airspace disruptions with the outbreak of the war. A rebooking was also canceled, leaving the group scrambling to find a way home while facing the cost of extending their stay.

“We stayed on calls with the airline for almost two days trying to figure out another flight,” Lokhmatova said.

While searching for options, she discovered an initiative by local vacation-home operators offering temporary accommodation to stranded travelers. The couple and their children were offered a free stay for one night in an apartment managed by AraBnB Homes, a Dubai-based luxury rental company that had opened vacant units to passengers unable to leave the city.

The temporary stay gave them time to regroup and make arrangements for the rest of their extended trip. During the first few days, they occasionally heard explosions from air defense systems intercepting missiles or drones — but “we tried to stay calm because the kids were there,” Crepin said.

But, he said, they’ve felt safe and have been grateful to be together throughout the experience. They now hope to leave Dubai on Saturday, if their latest flight goes ahead. They will then travel together to Istanbul before separating — Lokhmatova and Anny returning to Serbia and Crepin and Gabriel to Belgium.

Midflight turnaround impacts tech entrepreneur

Two hours into his flight over the weekend from the Qatari capital of Doha to Barcelona, Varun Krishnan says it became clear the aircraft was no longer heading toward Spain.

Krishnan, who runs the Indian technology business Fone Arena, was on the final leg of his flight from India to a telecommunications conference, Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona.

“It seemed something was off,” Krishnan said, noting that he had been tracking the flight and realized it didn’t seem to be proceeding on course.

Breakfast had just been served when the captain announced that Baghdad airspace was closed due to security issues. Instead of continuing across Iraq towards Europe, the aircraft began circling around the United Arab Emirates.

Krishnan said the captain provided updates about what was happening, “but still people were panicking.”

As the aircraft prepared to land back in Doha, emergency notifications sounded across the cabin. Once on the ground, long lines formed as departure boards filled with cancellations.

Krishnan said he’s been staying at a hotel since. And on Wednesday, he was still waiting for airlines to confirm when flights might resume.

US tourists stuck in Dubai

Louise Herrle, a retiree from Pittsburgh, and her husband got stranded in Dubai, where the couple had been vacationing when the war broke out.

She told the AP that they’ve had several flights canceled and are now scheduled to leave early Thursday morning, but don’t know if that flight will be canceled as well.

They’ve heard fighter jets flying overhead “from time to time,” as well as some explosions, she said. But despite the “extremely stressful” situation, she’s found support from fellow travelers.

“It’s not a great experience, but it’s, you know, a shared experience and it brings people together,” she said.

Hong Kong expat recounts search for safety

Agnes Chen Pun, a Hong Kong expatriate who moved to Dubai with her husband and their 1 1/2-year-old last year, said she has tried to keep her family safe amid escalating tensions in the United Arab Emirates. They have moved twice — first to a resort about an hour and a half away in Fujairah, then to one near the port city of Sharjah — after worrying about potential attacks.

“We were so nervous, so anxious,” said Chen, a partner at Asia Bankers Club, a Hong Kong- and Dubai-based investment company.

She finally secured commercial tickets for $2,200 per person to Singapore, although her departure is still uncertain. Despite the disruption, Chen said she plans to return to the UAE once the situation stabilizes, viewing the country as an attractive place to live and work.

“I think the scare, the fears, will be short-term. Definitely now, safety is the most important,” she said. “I will go to Hong Kong … wait (until) the war is over, and then I probably, definitely would come back again.”