Overview
- The UAE aviation regulator said on March 1 the state would pay hosting and accommodation for stranded passengers, but it has not outlined how or when reimbursements will occur.
- Emirates and Etihad have restarted limited services prioritizing existing bookings, while Qatar Airways has largely remained grounded aside from limited flights to Doha.
- Airline-provided hotel and meal vouchers have typically covered only a few nights, leaving many to pay out of pocket using credit cards or crowdfunding.
- Individual cases highlight the strain, including an American mother who accrued about $6,800 at the Taj Dubai and another traveler shuttling between hotels after a four-night Emirates voucher expired.
- Exit options have been starkly unequal, with some wealthier travelers driving to Oman or Saudi Arabia to charter private jets costing up to roughly $200,000.