Malcolm Morrison from Paisley was visiting family in Dubai when Iranian counter-attacks erupted, forcing hundreds of British tourists to evacuate on suspended Emirates flights
A Scottish holidaymaker visiting relatives in Dubai has described the frightening moment drones headed in their direction whilst they were at a brunch gathering on Saturday afternoon.
The initial Emirates service returned from the upmarket destination on Wednesday evening as relieved Scots expressed their gratitude at touching down on British soil once more. The passenger jet landed at Edinburgh Airport following its journey from the Middle East.
Onboard were hundreds of travellers who found themselves embroiled in the conflict after hostilities spread to the affluent cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
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Iranian retaliatory strikes commenced over the weekend following a joint US and Israeli missile offensive against Iran, prompting numerous regional airspace shutdowns, reports the Daily Record.
Malcolm Morrison and his partner, hailing from Paisley, were visiting family when missiles and blasts struck the nation. The family subsequently received an alarming notification on their mobile devices instructing them to immediately find shelter.
Malcolm, 40, told the Record: “It feels great to be home but it was very worrying. We only got there on the Wednesday. We were at a brunch at the W on the Palm when the missiles flew towards us. At first they told us it was fireworks, but you could feel the vibrations.
“It was half 4 at this point, but once it got dark we started seeing multiple missiles in the sky. Then we started seeing the black plumes of smoke. There wasn’t much news getting out but we knew it was bad. We got a notification to see they had stopped flights. Then we heard a bang, then we saw the smoke.
“Whilst we were still at the party we were told to stay inside. The Fairmont Hotel beside us actually got hit so we went and stayed with my sister. On the Sunday we heard three or four bangs above my sister’s place. It’s terrifying. I’m still so scared for her.”
Carriers operating Middle Eastern routes scrapped or rerouted numerous flights following the strikes, with Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and British Airways amongst those scaling back operations due to safety fears. The Edinburgh-bound service was one of just a handful resuming today after thousands of routes were grounded.
Malcolm went on: “Emirates said that flights were suspended but on the app it said our flight was still scheduled. We arrived at the airport today with no idea if we’d get home. We weren’t feeling confident.
“When we boarded the plane it was quite a strange atmosphere. I’m not one of these people who clap on planes but everyone was clapping when it landed. Everyone was tracking the flight path as we travelled. The first hour it was flying over countries that had been hit. That was not a good feeling.
“I’m 40-years-old but my mum has not stopped messaging me. Everyone was so worried about us. I still don’t think it’s sunk in – but we are home.”
The Emirates flight EK23 departed at 3.10pm local time and touched down at approximately 8pm GMT. Long-distance travel across the region continues to face significant disruption as the conflict persists, with airline passengers strongly advised to verify their flight status before making their way to the airport.
Services to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London LHR, and Manchester also operated on Wednesday, having resumed earlier in the week. An Emirates spokesperson said: “All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 2359hrs UAE time on March 4, due to airspace closures across the region.
“Emirates continues to operate a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights on 3 and 4 March. We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights.
“Do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates or hold a confirmed booking for these flights. Emirates continues to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly.”
Passengers are urged to visit the airline’s website for the latest updates.