Even as limited flight operations resume across parts of the Middle East amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, hundreds of Mumbaikars remain stranded in the UAE, grappling with soaring fares, last-minute cancellations and deep uncertainty over their return.
Among them are Viral and Disha Visaria, who had travelled to Dubai to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. “The very day we landed was when the attacks began, casting a shadow over our trip,” Viral said over a call on Wednesday while heading to the airport yet again in hopes of securing a seat.
“We immediately began looking for flights home. Everything felt unsafe and unstable. But every flight we managed to book was eventually cancelled,” he said.
Their last confirmed ticket, a Thursday departure to Mumbai, was also scrapped. “We’ve heard there might be a chance of getting on a flight directly at the airport, so we’re trying our luck,” he added.
They are not alone. An estimated 800 to 900 people from Maharashtra are currently stranded in the UAE, many coordinating through a WhatsApp group to share updates and options.
A group of around 160 stranded passengers found relief on Tuesday through two chartered flights arranged by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The flights departed from Fujairah and landed in Mumbai late that night.
Among those on board were 84 MBA students and four faculty members from Indira Institute of Management, Pune, who were in Dubai for an international immersion programme.
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“Our trip was largely seamless. Most of the panic came from our families back home,” said 22-year-old Shubham Gupta, one of the students. “The institute handled everything extended stay, food, and our flight back.”
Also on the charter were 23 tourists from a Maharashtra-based tour group. Amit Kishan, who returned home Wednesday morning, said, “It was my mother’s first international vacation. Now she may never step out of Kolhapur again.”
Their tour operator extended hotel stays, coordinated with the Indian Embassy and community contacts, and secured seats on the early flight out. Others, however, reported steeply inflated hotel rates and struggled to manage extended stays.
For many, returning home required expensive and complex detours.
Harshil Chordia, 35, who runs a real estate firm, described a frantic scramble to exit Dubai. “We booked a late afternoon flight on Monday after the travel restriction window opened, but it was cancelled at the last minute,” he said.
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He and five others repeatedly booked tickets costing Rs 4 to 5 lakh each, hoping one would materialise. “Cancellations were continuous.”
Finally, the group secured seats from Muscat, Oman, at Rs 1.5 lakh per ticket. The journey required a six-hour drive from Dubai. “We were first turned back at the Fujairah border and had to reroute via Hatta to enter Oman,” Chordia said.
“Dubai’s streets seemed normal, but we feared the conflict could intensify. Affordability wasn’t our issue we were fortunate. Many others can’t manage these costs,” he added, urging authorities to maximise commercial flight operations during available airspace windows.
One-way fares from Oman reportedly surged to Rs 2 lakh several times the usual rates.
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The disruption has rippled beyond the UAE. Sunil Gupta, a social media manager stranded in Moscow after his connecting flight to Abu Dhabi was cancelled, spent nearly 24 hours at the airport before being provided hotel accommodation by his booking platform.
“I’m hoping flights resume by Thursday so I can reschedule,” he said. “The alternative routes to India cost Rs 2 to 3 lakh, which I simply can’t afford.”
Meanwhile, Bhautik Doshi, who was due to return to Mumbai on February 28, remains in Dubai with relatives, awaiting confirmation of a promised flight from Fujairah.
Social media posts have alleged that helpline numbers issued by the Indian Embassy in Dubai are going unanswered. However, efforts to ease the crisis appear underway, with at least eight repatriation flights four from Dubai scheduled to land in Mumbai on Wednesday. Nonetheless, 93 flights – 48 arrivals and 45 departures – were cancelled on Wednesday at the Mumbai airport.
