Iranian attacks on Dubai and the reported closure of its airport have prompted wealthy residents and visitors to seek alternative exit routes on private jets, according to a report published by The Guardian.
The normally glitzy emirate has been on edge since drones and missiles, fired in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran, damaged the airport and hit several high-profile hotels and landmarks, the British daily reported.
The UAE defence ministry said it had continued intercepting incoming missiles and drones on Monday. The country also announced the closure of its embassy in Tehran amid the widening regional conflict.
Some residents have travelled by road to Oman, a journey of around four and a half hours, where operations at Muscat International Airport have continued, albeit with delays.
Most commercial flights from Muscat to Europe are fully booked until later this week, according to booking platforms.
A Russian tourist, Alexandra Vavilova, told the newspaper she secured one of the last available tickets on Monday night on a flight from Muscat to Colombo.
The report said private jet prices from Muscat have surged because of soaring demand and limited aircraft availability in the volatile region.
JetVip, a Muscat-based brokerage, told the paper that a flight to Istanbul on a Nextant jet now costs about €85,000 (£74,000), roughly three times the usual rate. Seats on private charters to Moscow are selling for about €20,000 per person.
Austria-based charter firm AlbaJet said aircraft availability was “extremely thin”, offering flights to Europe for about €90,000.
A representative cited insurance constraints and owners’ decisions as key obstacles, adding that demand far outstripped supply.
Others have opted for the 10-hour drive to Riyadh, whose airport remains operational.
Ameerh Naran, chief executive of Vimana Private Jets, told the outlet that flights from Riyadh to Europe are now costing up to $350,000.
The disruption has also triggered political controversy in Italy after Defence Minister Guido Crosetto returned home on an Italian government aircraft while hundreds of other Italians remained stranded in Dubai.
He returned to Italy alone and said he paid for the flight himself.
“I am in my office dealing with far more serious matters, and I do not think that having been stranded, like thousands of other people, is an important issue,” he told the newspaper.
Meanwhile, confusion has persisted over operations at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, with conflicting reports about departures and cancellations. Major carriers, including Emirates, flydubai and Etihad Airways, announced plans to resume limited flights to repatriate stranded passengers, The Guardian reported.
Dubai’s tourist board has instructed hotels not to evict guests unable to leave because of mass cancellations and to extend stays under existing booking terms. However, some Russian tourists complained online that they were being asked to pay extra or leave.
Thousands of western tourists have also been stranded at sea, confined to cruise ships off the Gulf coast as ports grapple with the fallout from Iranian drone attacks.
Passengers aboard the cruise liner Mein Schiff 4 reported seeing smoke over Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi following explosions allegedly caused by drones. Travellers on the MSC Euribia in Dubai said their room keys had been extended until 6 March, amid expectations that disembarkation would be delayed.
For many visitors, remaining in place appears to be the only immediate option as uncertainty over regional security continues.
