Hundreds of thousands of British tourists remain stranded in the Middle East, with Emirates cancelling all flights through Dubai for a third consecutive day. The airline grounded operations until 11am GMT on Tuesday, March 3, following the closure of UAE airspace after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday.
More than 20,000 travellers have been impacted by the cancellations since the weekend, according to Emirates. The carrier urged passengers to check flight status online and apologised for the disruption, stating it is assisting with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements.
Hotels across Dubai have been instructed not to evict stranded guests under any circumstances, following a directive from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. An email obtained by the Khaleej Times said hotels must offer affected tourists the option to extend their stay under the same conditions as their initial booking.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority confirmed it would cover all expenses for those trapped by the crisis, including food and accommodation costs. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has launched an unprecedented operation, with nearly 100,000 Brits registering their presence via an online government platform.
On Sunday, Iranian attacks on the UAE killed three people and injured 58 others, according to the country's defence ministry. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the UK has granted the US permission to launch strikes on Iranian missile sites from British bases, though the UK will not be directly involved.
