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Connor Mycroft

More than 400 Hongkongers have reported being stranded in the Middle East after major airspace closures triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupted dozens of flights between the city and the region.
There are no signs yet of when they might return home, even as major transit hubs including Dubai airports resumed limited operations. US President Donald Trump has said military operations could last for weeks amid retaliation from Iran.
The Security Bureau maintained a “red” warning for Iran – the second highest alert – urging those already in the country to attend to their personal safety.
The South China Morning Post breaks down the situation on the ground and what travellers stuck in the region need to know.
1. Prioritise safety
Visitors and residents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – home to Dubai, the world’s busiest aviation hub – are advised to stay in place and avoid venturing outside until further notice, as the country deals with missile threats, according to its Ministry of Interior.
Qatar also urged people to “stay home except for absolute necessities”, even though the security situation in the country remains stable with no signs of internal security concerns.
2. UAE and Qatar to cover costs
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority previously announced that the state would cover the accommodation and meal costs for some 20,000 travellers stranded in the country, although some Hongkongers said hotels required them to pay out of pocket first.
Qatar Tourism reportedly issued a similar notice to hotel managers requesting that accommodation be extended for stranded travellers until airport operations resume and airspace reopens.
3. Register with Hong Kong authorities
The Immigration Department has said it is in contact with Chinese embassies across the Middle East in Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and Kuwait, as well as the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, to keep track of the latest developments.
As of Monday, 432 Hong Kong residents stranded in the Middle East sought help from the Immigration Department, with some inquiring about flight arrangements. All were reported safe.
It pledged to keep monitoring the situation and take any needed follow-up action, but stopped short of saying whether the government would arrange commercial flights to evacuate residents, as some other countries planned to do.
It asked residents in need to call the 24-hour hotline at (852) 1868, use the “1868” hotline via the Immigration Department’s mobile application, message the 1868 WhatsApp or WeChat accounts, or submit an online help form.
4. Rebook or refund flights
As of Tuesday morning, 54 flights between Hong Kong and the Middle East have been disrupted by the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, with flights between the city and Dubai in the UAE the most affected.
About 13,000 of roughly 32,000 flights scheduled to operate into and out of the Middle East have been cancelled since last Saturday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspended operations in the Middle East on Saturday, including passenger flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh, as well as freighter services to and from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.
The airline waived rebooking, re-routing and refund charges for such destinations. Customers who want to rebook are allowed to choose new dates up to May 31.
Emirates, meanwhile, said that it had began operating a “limited number” of flights out of Dubai from Monday evening. Customers would be contacted directly by the airline and those with earlier bookings would have priority, it said.
Emirates customers are also able to rebook on another flight to their intended destination up to March 20, or request a refund.
Qatar Airways said that customers with confirmed bookings up to March 10 would be entitled to a complimentary date change of up to 14 days from the original flight date or a refund of the unused value of the ticket purchase.

5. Heed official guidelines
Beijing has issued numerous warnings through its diplomatic missions in Iran for Chinese nationals to evacuate from the country as soon as possible.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that more than 3,000 Chinese nationals had been evacuated from Iran as of Monday, and that diplomatic missions in neighbouring countries had deployed teams to help receive and assist them at border crossings.
However, Beijing has not extended similar evacuation orders for neighbouring countries. Instead, embassies and consulates in countries such as Qatar have told Chinese nationals to avoid going out and to stock up on supplies while keeping a low profile.
Several countries, meanwhile, have begun advising their nationals to flee from the region entirely as the war begins to increasingly spill over into neighbouring countries.
On Monday, the US State Department issued a notice urging all Americans to “depart now” from 14 countries in the region, including Iran, citing “serious safety risks.”
The UK is also reportedly working on plans to help British nationals flee from the Gulf region, with foreign minister Yvette Cooper saying her team was working on “every possible option,” including evacuation.
Other countries that have issued evacuation warnings or indicated they are preparing evacuation plans include Canada, South Korea and Thailand.


What Hong Kong travellers stuck in the Middle East need to do as war spirals

More than 1,000 personnel, volunteers stage emergency drill at Hong Kong airport

Hong Kong police alerted after man seen repeatedly hitting baby’s foot in train

‘We want to go home’: Hongkongers trapped in Mideast call for more official help

Hong Kong society

A plume of smoke from an Iranian strike rises behind planes parked at Dubai International Airport on Sunday, March 1. Photo: AP

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has said that more than 3,000 Chinese nationals have been evacuated from Iran as of Monday. Photo: Johannes Neudecker/dpa

Cathay Pacific extends flight suspensions to Dubai, Riyadh until March 14

A projectile is seen over the sky in the UAE. Photo: AP

Cathay Pacific has suspended flights to Dubai and Riyadh until March 14. Photo: Eugene Lee

A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in Sharjah following reports of Iranian strikes in the UAE. Photo: AP

Some Hongkongers stranded in Dubai said they considered travelling by road to another city to fly back home. Photo: Reuters

Planes parked at Dubai International Airport, following the US-Israel strikes on Iran that led to the closure of airspace over parts of the Middle East, including UAE. Photo: Reuters

News

Hong Kong

Society

At least 432 residents are stranded in region as dozens of flights between city and Middle East are disrupted by conflict


At least 432 residents are stranded in region as dozens of flights between city and Middle East are disrupted by conflict.


What Hong Kong travellers stuck in the Middle East need to do as war spirals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}At least 432 residents are stranded in region as dozens of flights between city and Middle East are disrupted by conflict

1. Prioritise safety

At least 432 residents are stranded in region as dozens of flights between city and Middle East are disrupted by conflict