As Operation Epic Fury rages into its fourth day, the glitzy hubs of Dubai and Doha have transformed from world-class travel crossroads into high-stakes traps. Tens of thousands of passengers, expatriates, and tourists are currently stranded across the Gulf with almost no way out as airspace closures and Iranian counter-strikes paralyze the region.
The chaos is particularly severe in Qatar, where at least 8,000 transit passengers became “marooned” the moment the U.S.-Israeli campaign began. With the Strait of Hormuz restricted and missiles flying over major flight paths, the window for a safe exit is slamming shut.
33 Hours to Freedom: The Rise of the Shuttle Bus
For those who cannot wait for government-chartered evacuations, the journey home has become an expensive and grueling odyssey. Many residents are now resorting to shuttle buses and private cars to reach Muscat, Oman, which has so far kept its airspace open.
The Muscat Route: Travelers are taking 8-hour bus rides from Sharjah to the Omani capital to catch any available flight to Europe or Asia.
The Saudi Connection: Some have reported paying over $1,000 for private drivers to take them from Dubai to Riyadh, a trip that normally costs a fraction of that by air.
The Border Challenge: Underlining the desperation, many are hiring drivers to the UAE-Oman border at Hatta, only to switch to Omani taxis on the other side because of vehicle registration laws.
Trump’s Timeline vs. Reality
While President Donald Trump initially projected the conflict would last “four to five weeks,” the reality on the ground is far more “gritty.” Iranian drones and missiles have targeted U.S. bases and allied cities across the Gulf, prompting the U.S. State Department to call on all Americans to leave more than a dozen countries immediately.
However, “leaving immediately” is proving impossible for many. While European nations like the UK, Italy, and Germany have begun limited charter flights out of Riyadh and Muscat, the sheer volume of the 30,000+ stranded foreigners means most are being told to find their own way to the border.
A Region Under Siege
The war is no longer just “over there” in Tehran. With explosions reported near the U.S. embassy in Kuwait and drones striking the embassy in Riyadh, the safety of the entire Gulf is in question. For people like Sara, a Dubai resident facing a 33-hour trek to Germany via Oman and Saudi Arabia, the luxury of the Gulf is a distant memory; survival and escape are the only priorities left.
