Travelers check the status of their flights at Toronto's Pearson Airport in Toronto on Feb. 23. Air Canada said it has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until March 23, while Qatar Airways said its Toronto-to-Doha route remains suspended.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Air space around the Persian Gulf remained largely closed for the third day in a row on Monday, frustrating stranded travellers as the U.S.-Israel war on Iran continued to spread to other countries in the Middle East.
Global Affairs Canada told Canadians in the region to shelter in place or consider leaving through land borders if it can be done safely, but not to expect government assistance departing.
Emirates resumed a small number of flights on Monday night, local time, in the Gulf region, but warned customers most planes were halted and the schedule could change on a moment’s notice.
A small number of flights operated by regional carriers also appeared to be running, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, including Kuwait Airways and FlyDubai.
Ottawa boosting support, but warns Canadians in Middle East to prepare contingency plans
Air Canada said on Monday it has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until March 23 as the conflict in Iran and the surrounding region continues to rage.
The airline said it is trying to fly back crew members stranded in Tel Aviv and Dubai. The 14-member crew in Dubai were scheduled to fly to Toronto on Saturday, but that flight was cancelled. “They are safe and we are working to bring them home,” said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick. All but two crew members on layover in Tel Aviv have left Israel. The two remaining behind are in a “safe location,” he said, declining to provide details because of safety concerns. “We have also been in contact with members of our global sales team based in the region to confirm that they too are safe.”
The Montreal-based airline usually flies four times a week to Israel and daily to Dubai from Toronto Pearson International Airport. “If you are in either of these regions, please do not head to the airport,” Air Canada said on its website on Monday. “Your safety is our top priority.” The airline said on Sunday it planned to resume flights to Israel on March 8 and to Dubai on March 5.
Qatar Airways said its Toronto-to-Doha route remains suspended, along with service to the region from Toronto or Montreal by Etihad or Emirates, according to aviation data company Cirium. “Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace,” the airline told The Globe and Mail.
War in the Middle East expanded Monday as Israel and the United States continued to hit Iran, who launched retaliatory strikes in the region.
The Associated Press
The airspace closures upended Omer Khan’s plans to fly home from Dubai to Toronto. He hasn’t seen his wife and three young children since mid-January.
Mr. Khan arrived at the Dubai airport for his flight early Sunday, but was instead greeted by chaos as the facility was being evacuated. He hasn’t been able to get through to Emirates since to rebook his flight.
Mr. Khan, a Canadian citizen who grew up in Saudi Arabia, said he registered with Global Affairs Canada and was “a little bit surprised” the federal government is not helping Canadians leave the region. He called on Ottawa to prepare evacuation plans if commercial flights do not resume soon.
“I do hope that if it comes to that, they’re able to assist me more,” said Mr. Khan, a 40-year-old banker. “They definitely should have a contingency plan if things escalate.”
Mr. Khan, who is staying with his sister in Dubai, said the first day of the military strikes was unnerving but that the situation was calmer on Monday.
“Day one was a little bit scary, but day two, day three now, things are becoming more and more normal, and I feel safe. I am staying indoors, however,” he said.
Evacuation flights from UAE begin as governments seek to extract citizens from Middle East
The airspace shutdowns also thwarted Canadians’ plans to travel around the Middle East, as local flights were grounded.
Torontonian Elena Pacienza met a group of friends in Dubai and had plans to fly to Oman on Wednesday. Instead, she plans to stay put and monitor developments.
“Everything I’m saying is sort of me just going, ‘I think,’ ‘I might,’ but you’re just kind of waiting for the news to be like, well: Is the airport open? Are there flights?” said Ms. Pacienza, a 48-year-old make-up artist.
Ms. Pacienza said the first night of the conflict was unnerving, as the local government sent emergency phone alerts warning people to avoid windows and doorways because of missiles. One of her friends ended up sleeping in the closet of her hotel room.
Since then, though, Ms. Pacienza said the situation feels safe and she ventured outside for a walk on Monday.
“Personally, I don’t feel like there’s anything to be scared of,” she said.
Meanwhile, a group of Queen’s University students who were returning to Canada this weekend after a two-week biology field course in Sri Lanka are stuck in Qatar after their connecting flight in Doha was forced to turn back because of the attacks.
The group of 16 students and one faculty member, who were scheduled to return from their trip on Saturday, are now staying at a local hotel, the university said Monday in a statement provided to The Globe and Mail.
“We recognize that this situation may be distressing for the students and their families, and their safety and wellbeing is our top priority,” the statement said. “Queen’s continues to be in direct contact with the faculty leader in Doha to offer support and assistance.”
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