Thousands of travellers, including many Indians, remain stranded across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as widespread flight cancellations triggered by the West Asia conflict continue to disrupt one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.

The escalation involving Iran, Israel and the United States forced multiple Middle Eastern countries to shut or restrict their airspace, creating a cascading impact across global airline networks. Major carriers, including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, IndiGo and Air India, suspended or cancelled flights due to safety concerns.

The disruptions have been felt most acutely in major Gulf transit hubs such as Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, which together handle tens of millions of international passengers each year.

Globally, more than 11,000 flights have been cancelled since the crisis escalated, affecting over a million passengers and leaving hundreds of thousands stranded across the region.

Several Indians have been among those stranded in the UAE, waiting for airlines to resume services or secure seats on rescheduled flights back to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said the government would cover accommodation and meal costs for passengers stranded due to the regional airspace closures. Officials say more than 20,000 travellers have already received hotel accommodation, food support and rebooking assistance.

Yet travellers’ experiences on the ground have varied depending on airlines, booking channels and flight routes, with several passengers saying they have had to arrange and pay for their own accommodation and food.

Travellers Paying For Their Extended Stay

Tania Desai (name changed), an Indian traveller who had a return flight from Dubai International Airport on March 1, has seen her stay extended by nearly a week after her flight was cancelled.

Desai had been scheduled to fly home on an Emirates flight, but the disruption forced the airline to rebook her journey.

Because her ticket was booked through a travel agent, Desai said communication from the airline has been limited, leaving her waiting for updates.

“There has been no direct communication from the airline,” she said, adding that she is still waiting for confirmation from the travel agent regarding further details of the rescheduled journey.

In the meantime, Desai has been arranging her own accommodation in the city.

She said hotel rooms initially cost around 580 dirhams per night for the first two days before discounted rates of about 480 dirhams became available as hotels adjusted to the influx of stranded travellers.

“It's been almost 15 days now (since the trip to the UAE started), and the extended stay is becoming increasingly expensive. I’m also facing difficulties transferring money from India. With very limited resources left, I’m just hoping to return home soon,” she said.

Confusion Over Free Stay

Another Indian traveller who was stranded in Dubai and stayed at Gevora Hotel described a similar mix of uncertainty and adjustment as flight schedules shifted repeatedly.

The passenger, who requested anonymity, had travelled to Dubai on February 26 and was scheduled to return to Delhi via Mumbai on March 2 on an IndiGo flight. The trip went smoothly for the first couple of days before news of the escalating regional conflict began to dominate headlines.

“We landed in Dubai on February 26 and on February 28, we started hearing about the crisis through the news,” the traveller said.

The return flight was eventually rescheduled twice before the airline confirmed a new departure for March 5, forcing the family to extend their stay in Dubai by three days.

During the disruption, hotel staff initially informed guests that their stay would be extended free of charge.

“We were called to the hotel lobby and told our stay would be extended for three days with breakfast included for free,” the traveller said.

But the relief was short-lived. The following day, hotel staff clarified that the arrangement applied only to stranded passengers in Abu Dhabi, not Dubai.

“We were told there had been a misunderstanding,” the traveller said.

The family, staying at the Gevora Hotel, ended up paying roughly Rs 10,000 per night for the additional stay, although the hotel offered increasing discounts as the extension continued.

The biggest frustration, the traveller said, was the uncertainty around flight schedules.

“It was frustrating that we had to extend our stay, but eventually IndiGo did manage to reschedule us on another flight and we reached Delhi on March 5,” the passenger said.

Gevora Hotel responded to The Core’s query with clarification that they are not providing free stay and food to stranded passengers.

“We have not received any official confirmation that the Dubai Government will cover the cost of hotel stays. This may only be applicable to select hotels. In our effort to support guests during this time, we are offering a special rate to help make their stay more comfortable and manageable,” the hotel said.

Airlines Slowly Resume Limited Services

Airlines have also begun restoring limited services as airspace restrictions ease, though schedules remain fluid.

Air India has resumed some flights, but operations remain restricted and subject to change.

The airline has deployed additional capacity through Air India Express, operating special flights from Ras Al Khaimah to Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Kochi until March 7. Around six flights a day are being operated between March 5 and March 7.

An airline source said new bookings are being accepted on these services, and passengers originally booked on Air India may be shifted to Air India Express flights if seats become available.

IndiGo has also resumed limited operations, though the airline said it remains difficult to predict when full services will be restored as the regional airspace situation continues to evolve.

Passengers affected by cancellations have been offered the option of a full refund or free rescheduling, with tentative new travel dates provided depending on route availability. The airline has also been informing travellers about cancellations and schedule changes roughly 24 hours in advance where possible, while assisting those already at airports with rebooking arrangements.

An IndiGo source said the disruption has not been limited to Gulf routes alone, with several services to Europe and London also impacted as airlines reroute flights to avoid restricted airspace.