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

[tiantian1005]

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

As a resident of the region for almost 50 years I agree with you.

Yes that is similar information to what we are hearing from family who are long term (30 years + ) expats. These are people who have invested, own property and run a business there while it has developed and feel valued and protected by the regime.

I believe i heard on the news that the Dubai Government have said they will cover the cost of hotel rooms for tourists.

The reality is nobody knows where the situation is heading. If I was there I'd be looking to get out at the first opportunity via Oman due to the volatility. People can always go back when it's safe.

Don't think it's any more dystopian than to be under fire in a poor country

Oman started putting certain visa restrictions for non resident card holders in place on day 1 of the situation.

I know people who've got visas at the border, yes it is a risk but one I'd be willing to take.

There are major roads. Dubai - Al Ain and then across the border. Dubai - Hatta. In the country there will be news of strike areas, safe routes and open border points.

I really think it’s BAU from tomorrow in Dubai. I have family out there that own businesses and have jobs, families etc.

@Angelica - I didn’t say they had stopped issuing visas. Suffice to say that not everyone who heads to the border thinking they’ll get a visa because they qualified for one on arrival before will get one.

I personally don't think so. There are still over 100k people trying to get home to the UK and the region is still unstable

In theory yes but in practice that's not happening. Some people are having to pay their own costs and getting refunded at a later date

Maybe they’ll be told to piece together some kind of rocket from what’s lying around on the ground and fly home once they’ve stuck the rocket up their bum.

Prices will have suddenly dropped for visiting Dubai now....

Hope you are now home safe and sound.

I hope so because it must be awful for so many people

But the American message for all citizens to return is ominous

No one with an ounce of sense would be visiting Dubai in these times

But the American message for all citizens to return is ominous

I don’t think so. I think it’s all part of Trumps posturing.

So let's get this right the message to thousands and thousands of Americans to leave the Middle East was not out of concern for their safety but simply as a posturing plan devised by Trump.

Do you have any evidence or links to support this?

The batshit conspiracy theories are in full swing this morning.

The batshit conspiracy theories are in full swing this morning

i think if you want you’re replies to be taken seriously you need to work on your posting style.

The large expat community seem happy to stay put, the ones anxious to leave are the tourists and second homers.

As an aside, what is the definition of an expat, why different to an immigrant, and would you still be an expat if you have lived there for many years? I always assumed expats were temporary, only staying for a few years and then coming home or moving on

Immigrants are people who move into your country. Ex-pats, or emigrants, are people who leave your country. Someone who lives in another country to their native one, is either an immigrant or an ex-pat/emigrant depending on who is referring to them.

There aren’t though! Yes, nearly 100k British people have registered that they are in UAE as the government have asked them to, but a great majority of them have no desire to get ‘home’ to the UK, they’re happy to stay living there. About 20,000 tourists are stuck there as flights have been cancelled. Don’t believe all the dramatic reporting

Expats are people living in another country who do not see themselves as immigrants. They may work there, they may not, they may be there temporarily or permanently, but they do not see themselves as a drain on resources, having a culture, language or belief system that is less than or a threat to the population.

Immigrants are people living in another country who others do not want in their country. They may work there, they may not, they may be there temporarily or permanently, but people who use the word to describe them tend to see them as a drain on resources, having a culture, language or belief system that is less than or a threat to the population.

It's semantics, really. Set the discourse that they're the right sort of immigrant or not and it's possible to influence how they are treated.

I would say the only people I have ever heard refer to themselves as expats are the Brits.