My Emirates flight to Dubai reversed twice because of Iranian missiles

I flew from Mumbai to Dubai on an Emirates return flight; It was one of several flights to take place in the past 24 hours and one of the first to the country since the US and Israel struck Iran over the weekend.

Most flights to and from the UAE have been cancelled, resulting in hundreds of cancellations, thousands of people stranded in and outside the Middle East and disruption of global travel as attacks in Iran escalate into a wider regional conflict.

On Monday, Emirates and Etihad announced a small number of flights to and from Dubai: repatriation flights for Emirati citizens and residents, and other flights to evacuate tourists stranded in the country.

Just 30 minutes before the end of the 3.5-hour journey from Mumbai to Dubai, the captain of the Emirates Airbus A380 flight informed the passengers, who were only half full, that we had to leave. turn around Because of the missiles Iran fired at the UAE.

After about 15 minutes, the captain told the passengers that the airspace had reopened and that we had permission to land in Dubai, where we arrived at an almost empty airport.

The arrivals board was empty but a small number of passengers appeared to have departed on flights back to the UK

I was on holiday with my partner in Goa, India, when the war started and was due to fly back on Sunday, but our direct flight to the UAE was cancelled. My bosses suggested I go to CNBC’s office in Singapore to wait out the conflict and work from there. We went to the airport in Goa on Monday night to catch our flight to Singapore via Mumbai.

When we arrived at Mumbai airport, we looked at the departure board for our Singapore leg and saw an Emirates flight leaving for Dubai at 2:20am. I was in contact with Emirates, Etihad and Dubai Airports all weekend for reporting, but I was shocked when I saw a flight. We headed over to the Emirates desk to find out more.

Surprisingly, they said we can book flights if we are UAE citizens or nationals. They asked us to make an on-site reservation through the airline’s app and show our Emirates ID, a national ID card for residents across the country.

We stood at the table wondering if we would return to active combat. I consulted with CNBC’s security team, and together we decided it would be best to go home. My team had been reporting and working in the UAE for days and I couldn’t refuse the chance to return. My partner and I agreed that we won’t get that chance again anytime soon.

We boarded the relatively quiet plane and talked to the other passengers, who were Emiratis and expats residing in Dubai. Many have tried to fly to Saudi Arabia or Oman in recent days, hoping to return to the UAE.

Taxi drivers in Muscat were said to charge passengers wanting to cross the border over 3,000 dirhams, or just over $800, for the four-and-a-half-hour journey. Most people on the plane said they were excited to get home, but the atmosphere on the flight was tense.

The plane took off and we fell asleep. It was midnight and I had been working on breaking news for the last three days. Thirty minutes after landing, the captain woke us all up and told us that UAE airspace was closed and the plane had to return to Mumbai. We were very close.

There was a mixture of silence and shock. I was with a British woman who said her two young children were in Dubai. He looked at me hopelessly at the news that he wouldn’t be able to see his family.

Here’s what I learned from my team via the flight’s Wifi: I follow my flightIt was stated that a missile barrage was fired towards the UAE. They reported hearing multiple loud explosions, which the UAE government confirmed were the country’s air defenses intercepting missiles from Iran. I was stunned and started making plans to return to my original plan: Singapore.

After about 15 minutes, the captain’s voice came back. To my great surprise, he told us that we had permission to land in Dubai and that we were about an hour away. The entire flight clapped and cheered. I looked at my partner. We both thought: Are we really flying into range of ballistic missiles?

As we approached Dubai, I saw the familiar sight of the Persian Gulf from my window; tankers dotted the coast of the UAE like little stars filled with oil.

The crew told me that we were being flown back to UAE airspace by two fighter jets. I couldn’t see out my window from where I sat in the middle seat, and Emirates did not confirm this to me on record after I landed; It said only that the flight was “rerouted in accordance with air traffic control instructions” and “landed safely in Dubai with an hour’s delay.”

It was just after 6 a.m. on a Tuesday when we landed. The gap was an eerie reminder of how the country felt during Covid-19. I flew a lot back then and I remember flying in and out of a very empty Dubai Airport. The arrivals board was empty, baggage claims were inactive and taxi stands were empty.

Even though it felt like a stroke of luck and I thought I wouldn’t be able to return for weeks, it was a good feeling to be home.. For me, for now, the UAE feels safe.