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UK opens booking portal for Dubai-based nationals
The Foreign Office has activated an online system allowing British citizens in Dubai to reserve seats on government-organised repatriation flights leaving the Middle East. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable individuals, with officials contacting those who have already registered their presence in the region.
Background: airspace closures strand thousands
Widespread flight cancellations and airspace restrictions across the Middle East followed escalating hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran. Dubai has been particularly affected, leaving thousands of British nationals unable to secure commercial flights home.
Charter flights begin from Oman and Dubai
Two government-chartered flights have already returned from Muscat, Oman, this week. A third flight, departing Dubai, is scheduled for early next week. The Foreign Office confirmed that all eligible travellers-including spouses, partners, and children under 18-can register for the Dubai flight, though a fee will apply.
Recent violence in Dubai
On Saturday, a Dubai resident was killed when shrapnel from an intercepted aerial projectile struck a vehicle in the Al Barsha district, according to the Dubai Media Office. The incident underscores the ongoing risks in the region.
Registration and commercial options
More than 160,000 British nationals have registered with the Foreign Office since the crisis began. Meanwhile, Emirates airline reported operating 35 flights to the UK since resuming services, transporting approximately 30,000 passengers out of Dubai on Thursday alone.
Firsthand accounts from stranded travellers
Victoria Cameron, a Scottish national from Larkhall, described the chaos she experienced in Dubai on 28 February when Iranian missiles struck the city. Speaking to the BBC, she recounted the moment alarms blared on phones: "Emergency, emergency. We were crying, we were shaking." Cameron returned to Edinburgh on Wednesday via an Emirates flight.
"Our phones were going off, saying 'emergency, emergency'. We were crying, we were shaking."
Victoria Cameron, British national stranded in Dubai
Current situation at Dubai Airport
The BBC's Nick Beake, reporting from Dubai Airport on Friday morning, noted a calm but subdued atmosphere. While a steady flow of passengers arrived, there were no visible crowds of expatriates attempting to leave the city.
