Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Anyone else in Dubai on holiday? AIBU to be panicking with all the flights cancelled?

996 replies

tiantian1005 · 28/02/2026 17:12

Not sure when we can go home..anyone has managed to for example drive to nearby countries and fly from there?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
34
EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/03/2026 21:57

Okay not every household has a maid. 😫
I personally wouldn’t take a flight out of there until things settle.
It’ll be interesting see the criminals squirm. The 3 Irish criminals wanted responsible for a ship carrying 157 million euro of cocaine part funded with hezbollah are residing in Dubai as a property managers.

justasking111 · 01/03/2026 21:58

The IRGC bombed one of their own tankers today in the gulf.

Their cohesion with a central command system appears to be in disarray.

Nutmuncher · 01/03/2026 21:58

What will go in the favour of those stranded in tourist areas is the local authorities will not want bad press for mistreatment of guests. Dubai is modelled on tourism so if they ever messed this up on the world’s stage during such a crisis the industry would have huge problems recovering their reputation and standing as a ‘safe’ destination.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/03/2026 22:00

Dropping a podcast recommendation here.
The Runaway Princesses
A four-part podcast follows a powerful sheikh and the women who have tried to escape his control.

scottishgirl69 · 01/03/2026 22:00

Flights won't be leaving for a few days anyway as far as I'm aware. It was in the press the other day that the earliest flights out will be March 6.

Notmyreality · 01/03/2026 22:02

mateysmum · 01/03/2026 21:25

You really know nothing. You do realise that most people in Dubai live perfectly normal lives. I lived there with no nanny or driver as did all the expats I knew.

These people have no clue. It’s mostly just envy and ignorance.

Nutmuncher · 01/03/2026 22:05

User567573 · 01/03/2026 21:46

Iran is probably waiting for planes to start flying again and hoping to hit one of those. That would be the ultimate terrorist act with greatest impact. They have nothing to lose at this point. Terrorism is not just about the immediate casualties but causing a ripple effect with as much chaos and fear amongst as many people as possible. They've already achieved this by targeting hotels and airports, which were clearly chosen to put western tourists at risk.

Absolutely this. There is no chance I’d be getting on a plane even once flights resume, they would be a prime terrorist target.

Thousands of tourists trapped next to a war zone, this is a logistical, tactical nightmare and no doubt a key factor in forcing our hand militarily.

KTCustard178 · 01/03/2026 22:25

Absolutely! I saw clips of people at Dubai airport - where there have been hits by drones / missiles / debris what ever you call it 🙄🙄 and I am like "why the fuck would you go there!!!???"

1dayatatime · 01/03/2026 22:44

User567573 · 01/03/2026 21:46

Iran is probably waiting for planes to start flying again and hoping to hit one of those. That would be the ultimate terrorist act with greatest impact. They have nothing to lose at this point. Terrorism is not just about the immediate casualties but causing a ripple effect with as much chaos and fear amongst as many people as possible. They've already achieved this by targeting hotels and airports, which were clearly chosen to put western tourists at risk.

Attacking hotels in Dubai seems to be working for Iran though. If there is one thing that the UAE wants most then it's economic growth, stability and peace and the current image of the go to business zone which has shown massive success.

By attacking Dubai and its hotels containing Western civilians, the Iranian idea is that this will encourage the UAE and Western countries with trapped citizens to bring pressure on the US to call a ceasefire or descalate.

PuceGreen · 01/03/2026 22:48

I can't see the travel insurance companies accepting any responsibility for extra costs. They always exclude loss caused by war.

whoTFismadelaine · 01/03/2026 22:57

EmeraldShamrock000 · 01/03/2026 21:57

Okay not every household has a maid. 😫
I personally wouldn’t take a flight out of there until things settle.
It’ll be interesting see the criminals squirm. The 3 Irish criminals wanted responsible for a ship carrying 157 million euro of cocaine part funded with hezbollah are residing in Dubai as a property managers.

I was thinking the same about that David Stern character who was so misogynistic and got the royals mixed up with Epstein. He lives out there too apparently.

T1Dmama · 01/03/2026 23:14

As scary as it is… I don’t think I’d feel safe boarding a flight right now!

RedToothBrush · 02/03/2026 00:01

Re situation tonight versus last night. DH has a friend who is on holiday there. He heard from her earlier. She was in a 5* hotel having only just arrived. She spent the night in the underground carpark. Tonight she was apparently back in her room. He's not heard from her since. So it sounded more promising.

Having said that, whilst I've not seen much at all on social media at all this evening but I have just started seeing reports of drones again in the last hour or so from 'military watcher' accounts I've followed for years and years. They are usually reliable and ahead of the curve.

It sounds slightly different tonight from what I'm seeing.

What interesting is one comment I've seen is Qatar have been intercepting drones tonight over the Arabian Gulf with fighter jets outside their borders rather than using air defense systems and away from residential area unlike last night. (There's been a statement put out by the British earlier today that a typhoon fighter took part in intercepting a drone heading towards Qatar in a defensive operation which actually is consistent with the above idea). I also know there were concerns about the number of air defence missiles the US has stockpiled so switching to intercept by fighter jet also seems sensible from that prospect.

This is also reflected in what seems to be happening in UAE. Early reports suggest there is a wave of attacks currently incoming but they are not over the centre of the Dubai last night and are being dealt with off shore and nothing so far has hit the city centre area though jets can be heard over head.

So rather than nothing happening or a media blackout it looks like where things are happening may have shifted though this in itself is promising to a degree for those on the ground or worried about people there.

I guess we will know more in a few hours.

On the negative side, the airbase in UK Cyprus that 'definitely wasn't being targeted'... Well there's now been explosions there and an order given for British Personnel to take shelter. (Confirmed by daily mail amongst others). Reports are now starting that Hezbollah has got involved and is throwing missiles around from Lebanon at Israel. And that these may be the source of the explosions in Cyprus not Iran. This origin of whatever has hit Cyprus is however yet unconfirmed official. The tone and messaging of the British government has now changed though too, so I'd keep a close eye on this development as it's not insignificant to events.

On top of this a French Naval Base in UAE has been hit (so now France is sending military support to the area) and a US Naval Base in Bahrain has been hit badly. UAE has summoned the Iranian ambassador and threatened them to cease attacks immediately and has shut their embassy in Tehran. None of which sounds good.

As I say we'll know a bit more in the morning and hope that nothing more significant happens in the next few hours.

whoTFismadelaine · 02/03/2026 00:06

I guess we all knew Trump would end up starting WW3 somehow.

ImDoneOnceAndForAll2 · 02/03/2026 00:09

Lampzade · 28/02/2026 18:04

Dh just got back from Dubai on Thursday

Congratulations. Well done.

How is that helpful? Christ some people!!!!!

Daytimetellyqueen · 02/03/2026 00:11

Thanks @RedToothBrush - your updates are always so helpful (I’m on a few of your threads but name change semi-regularly).

DrBlackbird · 02/03/2026 00:22

whoTFismadelaine · 02/03/2026 00:06

I guess we all knew Trump would end up starting WW3 somehow.

I may be overly optimistic but Iran has few friends willing to come to its aid whilst it is fighting against multiple fronts including neighbouring Arab countries, Isreal and the US. It is also provoking European countries. Just how can it fight back? Whoever is now leading it, must try to resume talks to stop the attacks.

Redrobinrose · 02/03/2026 00:39

My dh still wants us to book dubai for Oct?

Jillybloop393 · 02/03/2026 02:16

You must be terrified, OP, but take note of the advice on here and where you are, and hopefully you'll soon be telling us that you're on your way home. Good luck x

smokingdogs · 02/03/2026 04:50

Things feel much better this morning here, which makes sense if as PP said things have moved to being offshore. I actually slept! Friends in Dubai sad the same

ShelleyCarpenter · 02/03/2026 05:34

Just reading that there are 94,000 Britons stranded in the Gulf States and the British Government are making plans to bring them all home overland, via Saudi Arabia. You have to register your contact details with the Foreign Office.

smokingdogs · 02/03/2026 05:39

ShelleyCarpenter · 02/03/2026 05:34

Just reading that there are 94,000 Britons stranded in the Gulf States and the British Government are making plans to bring them all home overland, via Saudi Arabia. You have to register your contact details with the Foreign Office.

Can you point me to a news source? I haven’t seen that, and certainly things do not seem anywhere near bad enough to justify that.

3luckystars · 02/03/2026 05:42

scottishgirl69 · 01/03/2026 22:00

Flights won't be leaving for a few days anyway as far as I'm aware. It was in the press the other day that the earliest flights out will be March 6.

Wow that’s a major backlog.

hoichinny · 02/03/2026 06:11

TerracottaWorrier · 28/02/2026 17:32

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates

Read this and follow the instructions.

Does anyone know what time of day UK- time this was released by the FO?

GingerPants · 02/03/2026 06:50

Redrobinrose · 02/03/2026 00:39

My dh still wants us to book dubai for Oct?

Perhaps he likes visiting bomb sites though. Different people have different interests and ways of spending their leisure time. Is he perchance a detectorist?