Vietnamese tourists stranded in the Middle East: Breathtaking moments amidst turbulent airspace.
A series of Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace, resulting in the cancellation of over 1,800 flights and forcing many Vietnamese tourists to seek shelter or urgently change their itineraries.
The escalating tensions in the Middle East have led to the simultaneous closure of airspace by Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. According to the Associated Press, this decision has left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded or diverted to other airports. At major transit hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, more than 1,800 flights had been canceled by the morning of March 1st, causing significant disruption.
Experiences of Vietnamese tourists in Oman and Dubai
Duc Trinh, a tech company employee stranded in Oman, shared his 24-hour ordeal without sleep. His flight from Vietnam to Barcelona, scheduled to have a layover in Doha, had to make an emergency landing in Oman. "I saw the plane turn around near Doha. Passengers had to wait on the plane for 6 hours before disembarking and then spent another 4 hours on immigration procedures," Duc Trinh said.
Sharing a similar situation in Oman, supermodel Minh Tú said that flights from there to other countries in the region have been completely canceled. Although the situation in Oman remains peaceful, she expressed her confusion but is trying to stay calm while waiting for information about connecting flights to Asia.
In Dubai (UAE), Ngo Ngoc Gia Han described the panic as the entire student dormitory shook violently due to the conflict. She had boarded a flight to Georgia but it was canceled at the last minute, forcing her to re-enter Dubai in a state of shock. Meanwhile, Duy An, another tourist in Dubai, said he received assistance from the government in obtaining an unlimited visa while waiting at his hotel.
Optimism amidst the conflict zones of Syria and Georgia
In contrast to the tension at airports, travel blogger Vu Anh Duy, currently in Syria, remains optimistic. He says he is safe and has received enthusiastic support and food donations from locals during his stay.
In Georgia, Mr. Tran Quoc Dat was forced to completely change his itinerary. Due to the suspension of flights from Georgia to Southeast Asia with a layover in the Middle East, Mr. Dat had to buy a ticket from Turkey Airlines to fly via Istanbul (Turkey), and then connect to a flight back to Vietnam on March 2nd.
The closure of airspace and diversion of flight paths not only disrupts travelers' journeys but also places enormous cost pressure on airlines. Increased flight hours and fuel consumption are resulting in significant financial losses for the regional aviation industry.
