UAE- have all the transit passengers been evacuated?

[Poxette]

There hasn’t been much in the news about people stranded in UAE who were in transit. Travelling on to Asia or Australia, for example. Have all these people been flown out?

We are due to fly to Australia soon via Dubai and I don’t want to get stuck there

The situation is changing daily though, so you could easily get stuck. What is the current guidance on flying there?

Would you not change your route? Honestly you'd be silly to fly there now.

Our flights are scheduled. So if we want to change airline we would have to pay thousands and it won’t be covered by insurance. The trip is already a holiday of a lifetime and has cost a lot of money.

1. your trabel insurance for the UAE transit will be invalid. Hope you don't get stuck otherwise you'll be out of pocket. Also hope nothing happens to you in transit as again you will not be covered.

2. worry less about the transit and more about being stuck in Australia. If you have nothing to rush back for and have the finances to stay away longer then this isn't an issue. But insurance will not cover you to get back or for staying longer. People are out of pocket by thousands and still aren't home.

3. you're flying through a hostile area and active war zone. It comes with risk. At best a flight delay or two at worst being blown out of the sky.

Its your choice but be aware and prepare for the risks. I'd personally work out the cost of changing flights or route , even to a different time.

The Foreign Office currently warns against all but essential travel to UAE.

No, no everyone is home if you glance through posts on mn or read the tabloids.

I think those who were in UAE are home, but im not convinced they are flying people in for those not in the uae who are transiting there.

If there’s foreign office advice not to fly there then your insurance might not be valid. It’s risky anyway, you could get stuck or flights cancelled last minute.

Family members re booked via Malaysia to Australia and cancelled their emirate flights via Dubai. Emirates refunded flights , new ones were more expensive, but worth it not to risk cancellation, being stranded and lack of insurance. Other friends are now 2 weeks late trying to return back to the UK as stop over is in Dubai and two sets of flights cancelled so far .

I’ve never known travel insurance that won’t pay out if a destination (even for a transit) goes against Foreign Office advice. Have you called yours to see the situation?

Insurance is invalid if you go against travel guidelines - but should pay out when you cancel. There is a war going on and you cannot fly there now. Look at HK, Singapore, Malaysia as alternative routes.

I think it's pretty standard for travel insurance policies to have an exclusion for events caused by war, so I wouldn't hold out much hope of being able to claim on insurance.