‘Big relief’: Families welcome flights from Middle East bringing Singaporeans home

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SINGAPORE – The first travellers from Dubai trickled into Changi Airport on the morning of March 5, after days of flight cancellations caused by the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran closed airspaces across the Middle East.

Many travellers had scrambled to book the limited plane tickets available, and were greeted by family members who were relieved and overjoyed to see them return home.

“I was very worried during the past few days,” said Mr Shawn Sim, who was at the airport to meet his 63-year-old mother, Madam Law Chai Eng. “I was constantly checking on her every hour.”

Madam Law had been on holiday in Dubai with friends, and the group recounted their experience of seeing missiles flying overhead.

“They looked like fire rockets... We were so shocked and scared,” they said. “We knew war (had) officially started.”

Emirates and Etihad Airways said on March 4 that they would be resuming limited flights from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore.

In Facebook posts on the same day, the Singapore embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate-general in Dubai also advised returning Singaporeans to quickly secure tickets on the respective airlines’ websites, given the high demand.

When The Straits Times arrived at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 arrival hall at 8am on March 5, many Singaporeans had gathered to wait for their family members.

Among them was Ms Geraldine Lin, who was there with her in-laws to meet her husband.

Mr Carl Rajoo, an economist, had gone to Dubai for a business trip and was slated to return on Feb 28. But his return flight on Singapore Airlines was cancelled while he was on his way to the Dubai airport to catch his flight home, and he had to scramble to rebook a new flight.

Ms Lin, 43, who works in finance, said the experience was “definitely a bit traumatic”, but she is thankful that her husband is safe.

Having seen him only through video calls, Mr Rajoo’s mother added: “We are waiting anxiously to see his face.”

Passengers on Mr Rajoo’s Emirates flight – EK314 from Dubai, which landed at about 8.15am with close to 490 passengers on board – told ST that they were glad to be home.

“I was so happy when we took off,” said Mr Anil George, a technology manager who had also been slated to return on Feb 28. But that flight was cancelled, he said, adding it was a “big relief” that he managed to secure a ticket home.

Business owner Annabelle Lim, who flew to Dubai on Feb 19 and returned on the same flight, added: “The first thing I am going to do is sleep. My nervous system has been up the whole time. Nothing beats the feeling of touching down safely at home after being in a war zone.”

A wave of emotion also overcame Ms Linda Giam, 48, who broke down when hugging her aunt.

The tutor, who had been waiting at the airport, said she was extremely relieved to see her aunt and uncle in the flesh, as their flights back to Singapore had been repeatedly cancelled.

“I was worried I might not be able to see them again,” she added.

Relief and teary reunions were also seen at night at Terminal 2 as more people arrived home on board Etihad Airways flight EY498 from Abu Dhabi. It landed at 9.40pm.

Among them was a passenger who works in Abu Dhabi in the finance industry. The 30-year-old Singaporean, who wanted to be known only as Mr Chua, said he decided to come home because his parents were worried about him.

In the past few days, he said, he saw projectiles tearing across the sky several times a day, and heard bombing sounds from his apartment on the 20th floor of a building near a port.

He sought shelter in the carpark a few days ago when the emergency alarm in his apartment building rang at 2am.

“It was worse in the beginning, but the last few days were a little more quiet,” he said, adding that he will remain in Singapore for a week or two.

Ms Audrey Tan, 26, had gone on holiday with a friend to Dubai on Feb 22 and was supposed to return home on March 2 on an Emirates flight.

But her return flight kept being postponed, causing her stress and worry, she said.

Ms Tan, who works as a broker in the oil and gas industry, managed to secure a seat on the Etihad flight at 10pm on March 4 after registering with the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She took a one-hour taxi ride from Dubai to Abu Dhabi to catch the flight.

During the early days of the conflict, she received emergency alerts on her phone telling her to stay indoors. Most shops in Dubai were closed.

“I could see the missiles in the sky and jets circling. It was quite scary, but I got used to it. There was debris flying everywhere,” she said.

The travel chaos began after the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran on Feb 28, which resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other leaders.

Tehran responded by striking the US’ Gulf allies, targeting infrastructure such as airports and luxury hotels.

Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq closed their airspaces, causing widespread flight cancellations and leaving thousands of travellers stranded as the Middle East is a major travel hub between Europe and Asia.

At Changi Airport, five other flights scheduled to arrive from Doha and Qatar on March 5 were cancelled. They were QR942, QR048, QR944, EK348 and EK354.

Some Singaporeans in the Middle East, such as Mr Muhammad Hafiz Noorahman, 44, managed to find their way home after an extended journey.

The Mercy Relief board member had been doing volunteer work at refugee camps in the West Bank since Feb 26 as part of the humanitarian organisation’s engagement efforts.

Mr Muhammad Hafiz was slated to return home from Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 4, but its airport was closed due to the ongoing conflict.

So, on March 3, he and his two colleagues travelled to Amman in Jordan through land checkpoints, after being advised by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it was the safest option.

The land journey took about four hours, followed by a 3½-hour flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

After a lengthy layover, he finally returned to Singapore after a 10-hour Turkish Airlines flight and had a tearful reunion with his wife and teenage son at Changi Airport.

Mr Muhammad Hafiz said he had goosebumps hearing the explosions from the missile strikes, adding that he was grateful for the guidance given by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local organisations on the ground.

His wife, Ms Nur Afifah Mokhtiaruddin, 38, added: “I am so glad that he is safe. He travelled for a mission. I encourage him to do his work... and I leave it up to God.”

At the departure area in Terminal 1, another set of passengers – equally relieved to be on the way home – were queueing to check in for their 10.30am flight to Dubai on EK315.

Real estate broker Saltanat Kydyralieva arrived in Singapore on holiday on Feb 28, shortly before airspaces were shut down.

The 43-year-old Dubai resident, who was among over 120 passengers on the flight, said she was “happy” that she managed to change her booking to an earlier flight. She was initially scheduled to fly at 9.30pm, but later found out that there would be only one flight a day from Singapore to Dubai.

Singaporean Mandy Toh, a Dubai resident for 22 years, said she tried for three days to book tickets since her original flight on March 1 was cancelled, in what proved to be a “frustrating and disappointing” process.

The 52-year-old freelance photographer and stylist, who was back in Singapore for Chinese New Year, added that she was relieved to secure a seat on a plane back to Dubai, where she lives with her husband.

Her family is worried about her returning to the Middle East, said Ms Toh, adding that she also feels a little nervous herself.

She said: “I know I am in safe hands. Emirates would not be flying if it is not safe, so I am sure there is a safe corridor they are flying through.”