12-hour land crossings, sleeping on hotel floors: What to expect before a repatriation flight

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SINGAPORE – Scores of Singaporeans and residents have returned from the Middle East, while more continue to seek help with repatriation from the region, as the US-Israeli attack and Iran’s retaliation have upended travel routes and flight schedules.

Airlines and governments are working to move stranded passengers out of conflict zones, and Singapore plans to send a second aircraft to Saudi Arabia to bring stranded Singaporeans home from the Middle East on March 12, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) collating details of interested travellers.

The Straits Times spoke to several people who had first-hand experience making their way out of cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi to reach commercial or repatriation flights from neighbouring countries.

Due to the dynamic security situation, industry players like Lightfoot Travel managing director Lucy Jackson Walsh said those looking to leave the Middle East should expect plans to change and be prepared to switch to a new flight or transport option at short notice.

She also advised travellers to keep essential items ready, such as passports, travel documents, phone chargers, water and snacks.

Staying informed about the latest developments in the region is also key to securing seats on repatriation flights, travelling overland to alternative transport hubs, and navigating refunds or re-bookings.

Here are more specific tips.

Register with MFA to be contactable if situation worsens

Singaporeans who are currently in the Middle East are strongly encouraged to register with MFA at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg so they can be contacted during an emergency or when the need arises, such as when a repatriation flight becomes available.

Several such flights carrying Singaporeans and their dependants – including a Republic of Singapore Air Force A330 aircraft from Saudi Arabia departing on March 10 – have already left the region.

Accounting consultant Poonam Kandpal, 42, who was on a Singapore Airlines repatriation flight from Muscat, Oman, after her Emirates flight from Dubai was cancelled, advises travellers to check their e-mails regularly for updates from MFA, including confirmation of repatriation flights and rendezvous points.

Singapore does not have diplomatic missions in some countries in the region, including Iran.

If consular assistance is required, travellers should contact the nearest Singapore overseas mission.

Cities with overseas missions include Doha, Qatar; Tel Aviv, Israel; Cairo, Egypt; and Beirut, Lebanon.

The MFA also has a 24-hour duty office based in Singapore. It can be contacted on +65-6379-8800/6379-8855 or at the e-mail mfa_duty_officer@mfa.gov.sg

Check visa requirements before making your way to neighbouring countries

If required, apply for your visa before making your way to another country in the region to catch a flight out.

Some visas can be obtained on arrival, like in Qatar, while a few countries, like Oman, allow Singaporeans to enter visa-free for up to 14 days if they have a confirmed hotel or accommodation reservation and return tickets. Singapore passport holders can also stay visa-free for up to 90 days in the United Arab Emirates.

Singapore passport holders require a visa to enter Saudi Arabia and may be granted a visa on arrival. But MFA advises applying for tourist e-visas online at visa.visitsaudi.com to avoid delays on arrival.

Buffer extra time for immigration, security checks during overland travel

If travelling overland with transport arranged by MFA or via a private company, buffer extra time for stops at land checkpoints and border controls.

While the journey may show up as a 4½-hour trip on Google Maps, in reality, such trips could take up to 10 to 12 hours instead, said the people ST spoke to.

Outside of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, they also observed that fewer restaurants and malls with food and beverage venues are open during Ramadan, and many venues are usually shut in the afternoon and do not open until after the breaking of fast. Have snacks and water at hand for such instances.

Take along a power bank and the right charging cables for your devices in case there are charging ports on board the transport so that you can stay connected to your loved ones, said Superadrianme.com content creator and co-founder Dennis Seow.

Captain Ashok K. Batura, managing director of Sinoda Shipping Agency, who returned to Singapore from Dubai on an Emirates flight, advised sharing your location permanently with loved ones through a suitable app like Find My on iPhone.

Keep up to date via social media, chat groups

Facebook pages of overseas missions, such as the Singapore Embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate-general in Dubai, have been sharing regular updates – most recently the availability of Singapore-bound commercial flights on Middle Eastern airlines like Etihad Airways and Emirates.

However, flight schedules remain fluid and subject to change at short notice. The airlines’ respective websites should be checked directly for the most current flight information and booking details.

In some countries, real-time updates are often shared through local WhatsApp groups or social media networks, which may provide on-the-ground information ahead of traditional news channels, noted Lightfoot Travel’s Ms Jackson Walsh.

Mr Seow, who was stuck in Doha after his Qatar Airways flight to Barcelona turned back over Iraqi airspace, said he got the most up-to-date information from a WeChat group run by Chinese travellers.

He found out through the group that many had managed to get safe passage to Saudi Arabia, where airspace was still open and commercial flights were departing. He managed to get on a China Eastern flight out of Riyadh to Singapore via Shanghai a few days later.

Get comprehensive travel and medical insurance, be familiar with their coverage

Travel insurance policies typically exclude claims arising from war or armed conflict, so familiarise yourself with what your coverage entails.

Income Insurance, for one, has announced additional support for affected customers.

Travellers will be able to make an insurance claim for trips that are cancelled, postponed, cut short, disrupted or delayed within the next 30 days if they hold a travel insurance policy with the insurance provider.

The amount of claims covered will be determined by the policy terms and conditions, Income Insurance said on March 9.

The extension covers customers who have trips involving several Middle East destinations, namely, Israel, Iran, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Customers must first seek refunds from airlines, accommodation providers or other service providers before making a claim.

Use credit cards for payments, eSIM cards for data, and ride-hailing apps to get around

Ms Poonam, who travelled from Dubai to Muscat, recommended using credit cards for purchases as different countries have different currencies.

Mr Seow said “99 per cent” of places along the way from Doha to Riyadh, even mom-and-pop shops, accepted contactless payment.

Global data eSIMs will also come in handy and do not require you to resubscribe to a new SIM card when moving between countries, he added.

The people ST spoke to also said they limited their movements, but if they needed to get to the airport or hotels, they used ride-hailing apps like Uber.

Be flexible

This means being open to sleeping on hotel ballroom floors with duvets if no rooms are available, and waking up at odd hours to catch transport or flights out, said Ms Poonam, who was travelling with her elderly mother.

Nursery teacher Zehra Zafar, 37, who took a 13-hour bus journey from Dubai to Muscat with her six-year-old daughter, said MFA made arrangements so that travellers could have a shower, whether in the hotel’s spa facilities or in a handful of booked hotel rooms.

Either way, when you do get to the airport for your flight out, be prepared and buffer extra time for things like immigration or other potential delays, such as later-than-expected departures, said Mr Seow.