British tourists in the United Arab Emirates have been urged to shelter in place as regional tensions escalate, causing widespread flight disruption across key Middle East travel hubs.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is now advising against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates and has told British nationals in the country to remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from local authorities as a result of reported missile attacks.
Airspace closures and suspended flights have left thousands of travellers unable to return home, with major airlines pausing operations across the region as a precaution.
Among those affected are Patrington couple Zoe and Simon Rawson. They were due to fly back to Manchester on Saturday, February 28, after a week-long holiday in Abu Dhabi when their flight was suddenly halted at the airport.
Mrs Rawson said all passengers received an emergency alert on their phones as departures were suspended.
She wrote: “Everyone’s phone in the airport has just gone off and we all received this message. All flights are currently suspended.” She added: “Update – a fighter plane has just taken off from the airport!”
The alert warned passengers: “Due to the current situation, and potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building, and stay away from windows, doors and open areas. Await further instructions. (MOI).”
Speaking from the airport, Mrs Rawson said their 2pm return flight was stopped as boarding was under way.
“We were supposed to be coming back today. We should have been back home about 9pm tonight,” she said.
“It was the 2pm flight home. There was the one to Manchester, which we were on. Heathrow was just boarding and then we sort of got stopped going through.
“We were waiting to go through the next bit to get on to the plane, then we were all told to come and sit back down.”
The couple have since been returned to their hotel, where they say authorities are supporting tourists during the disruption.
In an update shared online today (Sunday, March 1), Zoe wrote: “So 2pm this afternoon we found out that the UAE are covering our hotel, breakfast and tea on a day-by-day basis – they are doing this for over 20,000 tourists.
“Trust me, this is not the kind of extended holiday I would wish on anybody – we hear and feel the bombings, some are less than five miles away, some are above our heads.
“Only a couple of hours ago we felt the ones that hit Abu Dhabi city just up the road. The tourists head inside when we get the alerts on our phones and you hear the fighter jets.
“The staff are lovely and they are as worried as we are.
“We have been told there is going to be an update at 2am, so I’m going to set our alarm for that one.”
She shared a picture of a “drone/missile” that they had seen “being shot down above our heads”.
Zoe added: “Not sure how they will get us out when we have drones and missiles still raining down on us, so we are just sitting tight for now and thankful that the military are doing a tremendous job risking their lives to save everyone else.”
Regional escalation followed joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran in the early hours of Saturday, with retaliatory attacks reported across several Gulf states.
The defence ministry of the United Arab Emirates said the country had been subjected to what it described as a “blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles”, adding that air defence systems had intercepted a number of missiles. However, officials confirmed debris fell in Abu Dhabi, causing damage and killing one civilian.
Explosions have been reported in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Bahrain, while a wide corridor of Middle Eastern airspace has been closed, leading to global travel disruption.
Airlines including Emirates and Qatar Airways have temporarily suspended or adjusted operations because of regional airspace closures, urging passengers to check flight status and rebooking options.
The FCDO has also advised British nationals in the UAE to register their presence with the UK government, monitor local and international media, stay away from military or security facilities and keep departure plans under review.