Travellers and expats seeking to flee as the war rages on now face a battle to leave the region as domestic carriers have halted most air travel out of the Arabian Peninsula. The impacts are huge - a significant travel hub for connecting flights across the globe, Dubai International Airport hosts an estimated 90,000 people transiting every day. Peter and his wife were supposed to fly home to New Zealand on Wednesday, but Emirates cancelled all flights, leaving the couple stuck, forced to figure out a new path home. Visa requirements for travel into India quickly halted those plans and the pair purchased new flights to Bangkok at a costly price. Peter is now trying to help them travel to Oman where they can wait for flights back home to Europe.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 05, 2026 15:40 UTC