Describing the situation as highly volatile, several Lebanese expats living in the UAE are desperately finding ways to bring their families to safety, amidst the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Adding to their woes is the unavailability of flights, not to mention the prices of tickets that have gone up to more Dh42,000 for a one-way, multi-leg journey out of Beirut to Dubai, Khaleej Times has learned.
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“Travelling by land is riskier,” noted Dubai resident Hamed, whose parents – who are in their mid-60s – are stuck in Beirut. “Our borders with Syria – the only way for us to get out of Lebanon by land – are all jammed and not safe for travel. On Tuesday, I read in the news that three civilians were killed following Israeli air strikes on Syria’s capital Damascus,” Hamed added.
“I’m looking at various options to bring my family to safety but none is viable at the moment. I’ve tried booking online and the cheapest plane ticket I found was Dh26,890 per seat for a one-way flight from Beirut to Amman, Jordan.
“I was only able to find two tickets, but I also have my brother and his wife plus their two kids. I need six plane tickets and more than Dh160,000 to bring them out of Lebanon,” Hamed continued.
Limited flight options
Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is still operating – but scantily – and only Lebanese national carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) is running commercial flights.
With limited flight options, Khaleej Times scanned travel and booking websites and discovered some tickets cost as much as Dh42,435 for a one-way journey to Dubai via Jordan. The multi-leg journeys will start from Beirut to Amman before heading to Dubai. There are also options to fly out of Syria, and that would require a cross-border travel by land from Lebanon.
Direct flights between UAE and Lebanon have been suspended, with Sharjah-based carrier Air Arabia even announcing on Tuesday the indefinite suspension of flights to Beirut from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi due to the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Dubai-based Emirates, and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways have no flights to and from the Lebanese capital until October 8. Moreover, flydubai flights have been cancelled until October 7, Monday.
Passengers transiting through Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a final destination to Beirut will not be accepted for travel from their point of origin, the two airlines said.
Surge in enquiries
As expected, travel agents have reported a surge in enquiries from stranded Lebanese residents looking for any possible route to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Sharjah.
“People are asking about the possibility of travelling to Dubai from Beirut. They are ready to travel to the neighbouring countries via land and then fly to the UAE,” said Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels. “The current option to fly out from Lebanon involves crossing the border into Syria and then flying to Sharjah with Cham Wings Airlines”, which is a private Syrian carrier.
Shamsheed CV, Senior Consultant for Outbound Travel at Wisefox Tourism, added many travellers are opting for flights to Amman before continuing on to the UAE. “There are very few operators flying out of Beirut Airport,” he said, noting that only those with valid UAE tourist or residency visas can enter the country.
Stay and pray for safety
While some are desperately trying to book flights, others are advising their relatives and family to remain where they are for now, and praying that they stay safe.
Akmal B, a 34-year old Lebanese expat living in Abu Dhabi, said: “Flying my parents out now feels very risky, especially with the situation on the ground remaining highly volatile that can only go worse quickly.”
“As their only son, I feel like they need me with them now more than ever but I can only fervently hope and pray that my parents in Lebanon will remain safe. With flights currently suspended, they’ve had to relocate to northern Lebanon for safety,” he added.
Akmal could not hide his fears. “While the airport remains open, I can’t shake the fear surrounding the entire process of moving out of Lebanon. I just wish I could be there with my parents to ensure their safety. It’s hard knowing that they’re struggling to find safe routes out of the country.