Americans across the Middle East are scrambling to find flights back to the United States after regional airspace disruptions following military strikes launched by the United States and Israel on Iran over the weekend.The US State Department has urged US citizens in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Qatar, to “leave now.” However, many travelers say they are struggling to leave due to flight cancellations, airspace closures and limited assistance from diplomatic missions.The travel chaos has left thousands of Americans unexpectedly stranded amid the rapidly escalating situation, with President Donald Trump saying the strikes are aimed at eliminating what he described as “imminent threats” from Iran.
The flight was diverted during escalating tensions
One American traveler, Carissa, a dating coach with over 180,000 followers on TikTok, shared her experience when she was stranded while traveling in the Middle East. “I just escaped the madness that is happening in the Middle East,” she said in a video recounting her journey.Carissa said she left John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Friday evening on a 14-hour flight bound for Abu Dhabi.“I left JFK on Friday night for a 14-hour flight to Abu Dhabi,” she explained.
“Everything started to go downhill with Iran while we were in the air.”Passengers began following breaking news during the flight, which led to increased tension on board. “You could tell everyone was starting to panic on the plane because people were reading the news,” she said. “Maybe 30 to 45 minutes before we were supposed to land in Abu Dhabi, the pilot got on the intercom and said, ‘We’re going to make an emergency stop in Cairo, Egypt.'”
The passengers were left waiting in Cairo
The plane eventually landed in Cairo, where it remained on the runway for about an hour while airline staff tried to determine whether passengers could return to New York that same evening.After disembarking, passengers remained inside the airport with little information.“Nobody knew what was going on,” Karissa recalls. “People are screaming at the poor flight attendants, as if they are demanding to know when they will fly to Abu Dhabi.”Airport officials eventually issued temporary visas and transferred the passengers to a nearby hotel by bus at night. Despite the arrangements, Carissa said passengers have not yet received any clear updates about when flights might resume. She added that “there is no information” about the situation or how long they might remain in Egypt.
An expensive last minute escape
Fearing that the regional conflict might expand, Carissa decided to book her own flight home.
“I book a new flight with a different airline via Switzerland and then return to Boston,” she said, explaining that it was the only available destination she could secure in the United States.“It cost me $2,000 because it happened at the last minute,” she added. He added: “At that stage, I fear that Egypt may intervene, as you do not know. Everything is happening very quickly.” She was eventually able to return to the United States safely, and later said she felt lucky she left when she did.According to the US State Department, more than 9,000 US citizens have already been evacuated from the area, including more than 300 from Israel. US officials say military aircraft and charter flights are being organized to help remaining Americans leave the Middle East. While some flights have resumed from cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, disruptions continue as airlines adjust their routes and airspace restrictions continue.