DUBAI, UAE – While most travelers remain stuck in hotels and on cruise ships, the prices of private flights have risen dramatically, the Guardian reports.
The attacks came in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Missiles and drones hit Dubai’s airport and several hotels and landmarks, sending the city, also known as a luxury destination for billionaires, influencers and millions of visitors, into a state of heightened tension. The United Arab Emirates said on Monday that its air defenses were still intercepting incoming missiles and drones, and authorities closed their embassy in Tehran as the conflict spread.
Ultra wealthy paying $350K to flee Middle East on private jets
Some people from Dubai have headed to Oman, a four-and-a-half-hour drive across the border, and Muscat airport is still operating, albeit with delays. The problem is that commercial flights from Muscat to Europe are mostly sold out until later this week, booking websites show.
Russian tourist Alexandra V., who was on holiday in Dubai, said she managed to snag one of the last available tickets, a flight from Muscat to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
At the same time, private flight prices from Muscat have exploded. Private jet broker JetVip told the Guardian that a flight to Istanbul on a small Nextan jet now costs around €85,000, around three times the usual price. Seats on private charter flights to Moscow are selling for around €20,000 per person.
Private jets unable to deploy
Several private jet companies have said they are currently unable to deploy aircraft due to problems with positioning their fleets in the volatile region. A representative for the Austrian charter company AlbaJet said that “availability is extremely low” and that flights to Europe are being offered for around 90,000 euros.
“Many operators will not fly because of insurance requirements and owner decisions. There is a lot of demand and very little supply,” he said. Some passengers have decided to try via Saudi Arabia, the drive to Riyadh takes about 10 hours, and the airport there is currently operational.
Semafor reports that private security companies are renting fleets of off-road vehicles to transport clients to the Saudi capital, then arranging private flights for them. Amir Naran, director of brokerage Vimana Private Jets, said that flights from Riyadh to Europe now cost up to $350,000.
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Travelers stranded and unable to leave the Middle East countries
For most tourists, the only option is to stay in Dubai. The Dubai Tourism Board has instructed hotels not to evict guests who are unable to leave the country due to mass flight cancellations and to continue their stays under the same terms as their original bookings.
However, some Russian tourists have complained online that they have been told they must “pay or leave.” In a video circulating on Telegram, a Russian woman says a receptionist told her to contact the agency and that it was “not their problem.”
Thousands of Western tourists are also stranded at sea, on cruise ships along the Persian Gulf coast, as ports in the region deal with the fallout from Iranian drone attacks. At least six large cruise ships, each carrying thousands of passengers, were anchored in or near the port, and passengers were in some cases ordered to stay in their cabins and not go out onto the balconies.
Tourists from the Mein Schiff 4 cruise ship photographed black smoke billowing over Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port after the massive explosions on Sunday. They told German tabloid Bild they were shocked and scared that “a holiday paradise has turned into a war zone.” Passengers on the MSC Euribia, which remained in Dubai, said their room cards had been reissued and extended until March 6, with the expectation that they would not be leaving the ship anytime soon.
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