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?

It might even be wise to keep passports and money physically on you not in a bag just in case.

i was simply pointing out how quickly things can escalate

People aren’t allowed to share videos or ‘rumour’ that’s why info is thin

Exactly.

I don’t really want to bring a second irrelevant husband into the thread…but my dh has it written into his contract that when he travels with work they have to have a grab bag. And he goes to relatively normal places.

Oh dear. Yes. I can assure you that as someone who’s lived here for almost 50 years I’m very much aware of the situation which is why I’m able to comment on it and raise my eyebrows at the excitement it seems to be causing in the lives of others (who are more than likely 1000’s of miles away from here and don’t have a clue)

Grab bag is absolutely common
sense, most likely not needed but why wouldn’t you? Having everything essential in one ready to go bag would help me feel a little bit more control in a situation like this. It’s not an overreaction at all to suggest when missiles are being blown up overhead and dropping debris.

I agree with this poster - the advice is shelter in place so do that for now but start thinking / planning your plan B. Also be ready to move to this as soon as advice changes / if advice changes to evacuate.

Given the action started on a weekend hopefully this will be a short sharp event and only a couple of days delay for you. Good luck OP. I hope you get out quickly. 💐

And you don’t follow any foreign office advice?

Seriously? A hotel in Dubai has just been hit by an Iranian missile! I’d say a grab bag was a very sensible idea!

Download a flight app onto your phone and you can see where flights are leaving from and still flying to

This is good advice for people struggling to leave the country. Don’t be so patronising you have no idea what it must be like for them.

That’s your choice. Others want to get home, not remain stuck and to follow foreign office advice- which is sensible

Do you work for the Foreign Office?

So what makes you dismissive of grab bags for people who want to be able to leave quickly?

A grab bag is sensible. Great if you don’t need. But if you are suddenly asked to leave you can go

Excitement? Your either very niave or stupid. Previous ME skirmishes havent involved dubai this one has directly hit. Its relatively new terrority

It strikes me as always sensible to have a grab bag with passports etc handy if you are away from home
Particularly if things are getting a bit explosive in the region.

Totally different if it is your home. I would probably be more chill if I had lived there for 50 years too. That's your prerogative. But people who want to fly home at the first chance need to be prepared

Just to add. Thinking of everyone affected by this and those worrying about loved ones or how to get home.

what makes you dismissive of grab bags for people who want to be able to leave quickly?

Im dismissive of alarmists. The airports will be open in a couple of days and even if they weren’t we’re still weeks away from the kind of evacuation that would warrant the need for grab bags.

@Lampzadeno, you said he got back Thursday on a thread where someone is asking for help how to get back now.

Honestly what is the point of this comment? The OP didn’t ask people to speak up to confirm they’re ok.

This makes sense, I’ve just checked and there’s a dedicated news article now on the BBC. It just seemed bizarre to have so little info. I really hope OP and others can get home ASAP.

Why do you think the Foreign Office are recommending that people prepare them, then? Are they just being ‘alarmist’? Why would they do that?

Second this. What does your travel insurance say about this situation?

Surely a grab bag will have the same contents as an underseat bag anyway? I don't see an issue at all, and being ready to go might be a great comfort for many. If it's not needed to evacuate, they can still take it on board. I'd pack one just in case, I can tell you!