Several Toronto travellers remain stranded in Dubai amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with cancelled flights and airspace disruptions leaving many uncertain about when they will be able to return home.
Fresh off their wedding celebrations, Gurleen Kaur and her husband, Gurpreet Singh, had planned a short honeymoon stop in Dubai after celebrating their marriage with family in India. Instead, their trip quickly turned into a stressful ordeal as regional conflict intensified.
“It’s just so scary to be here,” Kaur said in an interview with CTV News Toronto. “My family is panicking back home.”
Kaur said the situation became alarming when she was told by a worker at Dubai Marina that missiles could potentially be seen in the sky due to the growing conflict in the region.
The security concerns come after military action by the United States and Israel against Iran sparked retaliatory strikes across parts of the Gulf region, raising fears about broader instability.
Another Toronto resident, Terry Gould, said he and his wife heard explosions while staying in an Airbnb across the water from an incident near a hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.
“I saw something on TV that the U.S. and Israel had attacked Iran, but it didn’t really hit home until we heard an explosion here,” Gould said.
The tensions have also disrupted international travel. Many flights have been cancelled or repeatedly rescheduled as regional airspace closures ripple through airline schedules.
Devin Ramoutar, another traveller trying to return to Toronto, said his group has had flights rescheduled multiple times while trying to secure a way home.
“Our flight has been rescheduled three times,” Ramoutar said, adding that he contacted the Canadian embassy but has yet to receive a direct response.
The situation has been complicated by temporary closures of airspace in the United Arab Emirates. According to federal officials, the region’s airspace has been subject to intermittent and partial shutdowns due to the security situation.
Air Canada has temporarily suspended flights through Dubai and Tel Aviv until March 23.
Kaur said her own flight with Emirates scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled, leaving her scrambling to rebook.
She said repeated calls to the airline’s customer service line have been disconnected, leaving her unsure when she and her husband will be able to return home.
“I’m trying to call them for rescheduling, nothing yet,” she said. “I told the hotel, ‘Who’s going to pay for the expenses from tomorrow?’”
Dubai authorities have announced that accommodation costs will be covered for stranded passengers, though some travellers say the process for reimbursement remains unclear.
According to Global Affairs Canada, more than 97,000 Canadians have registered as being in the Middle East.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Canada has asked Oman about using its airspace if needed to help Canadians leave the region, but the federal government has not announced any evacuation plan.
While Gould says the security situation in Dubai appears to be stabilizing, with local authorities increasing patrols and safety measures, Kaur says the uncertainty has left her afraid to leave her hotel.
Every loud noise or emergency alert, she said, sends her running to the basement for safety.
“I don’t want to deal with this,” she said. “I prayed so much to enjoy this vacation, and now I’m just hiding here from those missiles.”
Courtsey CTV News Toronto