A Dubai resident stranded in Qatar due to regional airspace closures found an alternative route home with assistance from a special Etihad Rail service. Authorities arranged a train journey and transport support, helping affected travellers safely return to the UAE.
What was meant to be a short family visit turned into an unexpected travel ordeal for a Dubai resident when sudden airspace closures across the region disrupted flights. However, with support from authorities and a special train service, the resident eventually managed to return home safely experiencing the hospitality and efficiency of the UAE along the way.
Saud Saeed, an Indian expatriate who has spent most of his life in the UAE, had travelled to Qatar to visit his parents. The trip was supposed to last only three days. But as regional tensions escalated and several countries closed their airspace, flights were suspended across parts of the Gulf, leaving many travellers stranded and uncertain about their return plans.
Back in Dubai, Saeed’s wife and three children aged between three and sixteen were waiting anxiously for his return. As news of the airspace shutdown spread, Saeed realised that flying back would not be possible anytime soon. Determined to reach his family, he began searching for alternative routes to get back to the UAE.
Since he had originally flown to Qatar, driving back through neighbouring countries became the only viable option. Saeed applied for a Saudi visa and received approval the following day. With the paperwork completed, his sister drove him to the Qatar–Saudi border so he could begin the long journey back.
After several hours of travel by road, Saeed reached the Saudi–UAE border crossing at Ghuweifat late in the evening. It was there that he first encountered the support network arranged to help travellers affected by the flight disruptions. According to Saeed, officials at the border immediately reassured him that they would help him reach home safely.
The assistance came in the form of a special passenger service operated by Etihad Rail. On March 4, the railway company organised three train journeys on an exceptional basis to transport UAE citizens and residents from Ghuweifat in the Al Dhafrah region to Al Faya in Abu Dhabi. These services were introduced specifically to assist travellers returning to the country while flights remained suspended.
At the station, Saeed and around 16 other passengers waited for a midnight train arranged to carry them inland. As temperatures dropped during the night, officials provided a bus where travellers could stay warm until boarding time. The thoughtful arrangements helped ease the stress many passengers had been experiencing after long journeys and uncertainty about their return.
When it was time to board, passengers were escorted into a business-class coach on the train. Each seat was prepared with a meal box that included mandi, fruit and labneh, offering travellers both comfort and nourishment after hours on the road.
During the journey, Etihad Rail staff spoke with each passenger to learn their final destination. Saeed initially planned to ask his wife to pick him up from the station in Abu Dhabi, but officials insisted that transportation would be arranged for him instead. They explained that it would be safer and easier if the authorities ensured passengers reached their homes without difficulty.
When the train arrived at Al Faya station, prepaid taxis were already waiting for the passengers. Saeed was driven directly to his home in Dubai without paying anything for the train ride or the taxi service.
Reflecting on the experience, Saeed said he felt proud and grateful for the way authorities handled the situation. He noted that from the moment he crossed into the UAE, officials treated him with care and responsibility, ensuring his safe return.
For Saeed, the journey was not just about getting home it also highlighted how the country supports residents during challenging situations. Despite the disruption caused by regional airspace closures, coordinated efforts from border authorities and transport services ensured that stranded travellers could return home safely and comfortably.
source:khaleejtimes
image source: Times of india
