SINGAPORE: A Ramadan tour cut short and a long-haul flight diverted mid-air - Singaporeans caught in the Middle East airspace closures said on Monday (Mar 2) that while they are safe, there is no clear timeline for when they can return home.
Airlines have cancelled or delayed their flights across the region as hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran continued into a third day, leaving travellers stranded in the Gulf and elsewhere.
Those CNA spoke to said the situation remains calm, but the uncertainty is weighing on them as concern grows over the cost of extended stays.
Mr Lionel Fah, a Singaporean living in Dubai, was flying home from Houston on Friday evening (US time) after a work trip when his Emirates flight was diverted to Prague.
He has since been put up in a hotel by the airline, with meals provided, but has no indication of when he might resume his trip.
"I know that it is not a safe time to fly, so I’m not expecting to fly at this point," he said.
He recounted that he was calm when he found out that his flight had been diverted, noting that it was "good not to be in the air over Iran or around the area at that point in time".
"I'm in a safe place in Prague, there's no sense of 'I need to get back now'," he said. He told CNA he would continue working remotely.
"My thoughts were more with my family back in Dubai," he said, adding that he wanted to make sure they have what they need to be well-prepared.
In Bahrain, another Singaporean who had travelled with a group for work said there were no outbound flights available.
"We wrapped the day before the attack, so we are glad that work-wise, nothing is affected for the shoot," said Ms Amy Ang, a content creator.
Her group was moved to a hotel by Gulf Air, which is paying for accommodation, but she is unsure how much of the additional expenses will be covered by insurance.
"In terms of uncertainty, I don’t think we can do much other than wait in the hotel," she said, adding that they were lucky that the hotel was providing necessities such as food and water. She said they are still able to go out to stores, although some are closed.
"We are just not sure what's the date we can fly back."
A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Mar 1, 2026. (Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri)
Mr Nor Azam Mohamed Shariff, a tour group leader, is stranded in the Jordanian capital of Amman with 27 travellers after cutting short a Ramadan trip to Jerusalem when hostilities broke out over the weekend.
The group had been scheduled to transit through Amman on Mar 2 before flying to Bahrain and then onwards to Singapore. However, their Gulf Air flights were cancelled following the airspace closures.
Like Ms Ang, he too is worried about cost, particularly if the group has to book seats on another airline. Rescheduling travel for such a large group has proved difficult, he said, with limited seat availability and sharply higher fares.
"Even if you are lucky enough to get a flight, it'll be like crazy pricing," he said.
Accommodation is another challenge. The group is extending its hotel stay day by day, but the costs are not covered by the airline because they have yet to reach their transit point in Bahrain.
"If you are transiting in another country, they will not cover you … which I don't understand, because at the end of the day, I'm taking your flight, why can't we be covered?”
Ms Annabelle Siena Lim, an entrepreneur, arrived in Dubai on Feb 19 for business meetings and to visit friends, but found her return plans disrupted.
When the fighting began on Feb 28, she knew that her Emirates flight back to Singapore on Monday would be delayed. She told CNA the airline had been pushing back departures in 24-hour blocks, and phone lines have been busy, making it difficult to get clarity on revised schedules.
She has since rebooked her flight for Wednesday and is hopeful of leaving, noting that some flights have departed from nearby Abu Dhabi, according to flight-tracking services.
The situation is "super unpredictable", she said. "I am just trying to hold on."
She had considered travelling overland to neighbouring countries to secure an alternative flight, but with airports in Oman closed, decided it was safer to remain in Dubai and wait for normal operations to resume.
"Really feels very random in terms of attacks," she said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised all Singaporeans to defer all travel to the Middle East.
It also advised Singaporeans currently residing or transiting in the region to take all necessary precautions for their personal safety, including staying indoors, proceeding to a safe shelter when alerted, monitoring the news closely and heeding the local government’s advice.
Ms Ang said she is currently awaiting updates from MFA on available flights, while Ms Lim said she has been receiving emails from the ministry informing Singaporeans to stay safe and follow protocol.
Mr Azam, the tour leader, said he has reached out to MFA for help in securing flights and accommodation.
Despite the uncertainty, those CNA spoke to said they were trying to remain composed.
Mr Azam has told his 27-member tour group to stay together and limit movement outside their accommodation.
“At the same time, I’m also worried for them because some have work waiting," he said, adding that he was unsure how understanding their employers would be about the situation.
Still, he described the group as cooperative and supportive of one another.
“Overall, everyone is managing it so far. Everyone is staying together, supporting each other,” he said.
Ms Lim, who is staying in an apartment near the Dubai airport with friends, said she has received support from the expat community in the city, with friends and neighbours checking in on each other, reminiscent of the COVID-19 lockdown period.
“Everyone coming together to offer help ... it is really bringing out that COVID-style of neighbourly support,” she said.
She added that the current conflict has taught her to appreciate the peace in Singapore and the region.
“As a Singaporean, it teaches me to be grateful ... we don’t usually have missile attacks on this side of the world,” she said.
Continue reading...
Airlines have cancelled or delayed their flights across the region as hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran continued into a third day, leaving travellers stranded in the Gulf and elsewhere.
Those CNA spoke to said the situation remains calm, but the uncertainty is weighing on them as concern grows over the cost of extended stays.
Mr Lionel Fah, a Singaporean living in Dubai, was flying home from Houston on Friday evening (US time) after a work trip when his Emirates flight was diverted to Prague.
He has since been put up in a hotel by the airline, with meals provided, but has no indication of when he might resume his trip.
"I know that it is not a safe time to fly, so I’m not expecting to fly at this point," he said.
He recounted that he was calm when he found out that his flight had been diverted, noting that it was "good not to be in the air over Iran or around the area at that point in time".
"I'm in a safe place in Prague, there's no sense of 'I need to get back now'," he said. He told CNA he would continue working remotely.
"My thoughts were more with my family back in Dubai," he said, adding that he wanted to make sure they have what they need to be well-prepared.
Related:
In Bahrain, another Singaporean who had travelled with a group for work said there were no outbound flights available.
"We wrapped the day before the attack, so we are glad that work-wise, nothing is affected for the shoot," said Ms Amy Ang, a content creator.
Her group was moved to a hotel by Gulf Air, which is paying for accommodation, but she is unsure how much of the additional expenses will be covered by insurance.
"In terms of uncertainty, I don’t think we can do much other than wait in the hotel," she said, adding that they were lucky that the hotel was providing necessities such as food and water. She said they are still able to go out to stores, although some are closed.
"We are just not sure what's the date we can fly back."
A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Mar 1, 2026. (Photo: AP/Altaf Qadri)
"CRAZY PRICING"
Mr Nor Azam Mohamed Shariff, a tour group leader, is stranded in the Jordanian capital of Amman with 27 travellers after cutting short a Ramadan trip to Jerusalem when hostilities broke out over the weekend.
The group had been scheduled to transit through Amman on Mar 2 before flying to Bahrain and then onwards to Singapore. However, their Gulf Air flights were cancelled following the airspace closures.
Like Ms Ang, he too is worried about cost, particularly if the group has to book seats on another airline. Rescheduling travel for such a large group has proved difficult, he said, with limited seat availability and sharply higher fares.
"Even if you are lucky enough to get a flight, it'll be like crazy pricing," he said.
Accommodation is another challenge. The group is extending its hotel stay day by day, but the costs are not covered by the airline because they have yet to reach their transit point in Bahrain.
"If you are transiting in another country, they will not cover you … which I don't understand, because at the end of the day, I'm taking your flight, why can't we be covered?”
"SUPER UNPREDICTABLE"
Ms Annabelle Siena Lim, an entrepreneur, arrived in Dubai on Feb 19 for business meetings and to visit friends, but found her return plans disrupted.
When the fighting began on Feb 28, she knew that her Emirates flight back to Singapore on Monday would be delayed. She told CNA the airline had been pushing back departures in 24-hour blocks, and phone lines have been busy, making it difficult to get clarity on revised schedules.
She has since rebooked her flight for Wednesday and is hopeful of leaving, noting that some flights have departed from nearby Abu Dhabi, according to flight-tracking services.
The situation is "super unpredictable", she said. "I am just trying to hold on."
She had considered travelling overland to neighbouring countries to secure an alternative flight, but with airports in Oman closed, decided it was safer to remain in Dubai and wait for normal operations to resume.
"Really feels very random in terms of attacks," she said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised all Singaporeans to defer all travel to the Middle East.
It also advised Singaporeans currently residing or transiting in the region to take all necessary precautions for their personal safety, including staying indoors, proceeding to a safe shelter when alerted, monitoring the news closely and heeding the local government’s advice.
STAYING POSITIVE
Ms Ang said she is currently awaiting updates from MFA on available flights, while Ms Lim said she has been receiving emails from the ministry informing Singaporeans to stay safe and follow protocol.
Mr Azam, the tour leader, said he has reached out to MFA for help in securing flights and accommodation.
Despite the uncertainty, those CNA spoke to said they were trying to remain composed.
Mr Azam has told his 27-member tour group to stay together and limit movement outside their accommodation.
“At the same time, I’m also worried for them because some have work waiting," he said, adding that he was unsure how understanding their employers would be about the situation.
Still, he described the group as cooperative and supportive of one another.
“Overall, everyone is managing it so far. Everyone is staying together, supporting each other,” he said.
Ms Lim, who is staying in an apartment near the Dubai airport with friends, said she has received support from the expat community in the city, with friends and neighbours checking in on each other, reminiscent of the COVID-19 lockdown period.
“Everyone coming together to offer help ... it is really bringing out that COVID-style of neighbourly support,” she said.
She added that the current conflict has taught her to appreciate the peace in Singapore and the region.
“As a Singaporean, it teaches me to be grateful ... we don’t usually have missile attacks on this side of the world,” she said.
Continue reading...