For thousands of Australians stuck in Dubai, the past few days have been defined by cancelled flights, air‑raid alerts and a growing question: are we actually safe, and how do we get home? What was meant to be a quick stopover or a routine work trip has, for many, turned into an anxious wait in hotel rooms and airport lounges as airspace closures ripple across the Middle East.
Australian and UAE authorities are treating the situation as a serious consular and security challenge, while travellers also navigate strict local rules on what they can safely share online.
Why are so many Australians stuck in Dubai?
The current crisis stems from US and Israeli strikes on Iran and a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region, including on and around the United Arab Emirates. Airspace over key routes such as Iran and Iraq has been closed and flight paths that usually carry Australians between Europe, Asia and home have either been suspended or heavily rerouted.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said there are around 115,000 with approximately 24,000 in Dubai.
“This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any Australia … has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people,” she told ABC’s RN.
What is life like for Australians on the ground?
Australians stranded have spoken to media about repeated alerts, explosions and long stretches spent sheltering inside buildings.
“The first 48 hours since the initial strikes have felt like a nightmare. We’ve heard (and felt) thunderous explosions in the near distance, and witnessed debris hurtling from the sunny skies from intercepted drones,” wrote Carina Rossi, an Australian stuck in Dubai, to 9News.
“Or maybe they were missiles — you don’t get the specifics when you’re running for cover.
“We’ve been startled awake in the middle of the night by phone alerts urging us to “seek immediate shelter” as booming blasts sound,” she continued.
“Overall, there’s an unsettling panic that something bigger might happen and there’s nothing we can really do to escape.”
How bad is the flight disruption?
Flights remain heavily disrupted and subject to sudden change. Major carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad have cancelled or suspended large numbers of services after the strikes, with Dubai International Airport recording hundreds of cancellations in a single day. Travellers have been told not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking and have been clearly advised that their flight is operating.
Penny Wong has emphasised that the sheer number of Australians affected means commercial services are central to getting people home. She has said “the most efficient way for people to return home is if we can facilitate their boarding of commercial flights”, while also noting “the challenge lies in the fact that flights are currently not operating” in the way they normally would. Limited services are running, but routes are longer and more complex, which is putting further strain on schedules.
What is the Australian government doing?
The federal government has expanded its registration system so Australians in the UAE and the wider Middle East can log their details and receive direct updates. Wong has urged people to register, saying the government needs to know where citizens are so it can contact them quickly about any changes or options to leave. She has also spoken of “working around the clock” with regional partners and airlines, and has expressed gratitude for “the friendship of the UAE people” during the crisis.
Rather than immediately launching large‑scale evacuation flights, the government says its priority is to support the restart and stabilisation of commercial routes, which Wong argues are the only realistic way to move such large numbers. At the same time, she has underlined that this is a fast‑moving conflict and that consular support is constrained by security conditions on the ground.
What’s the official safety and social media advice?
Smartraveller has raised its advice for the United Arab Emirates to “do not travel”, placing it alongside countries such as Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Yemen at the highest risk level. Australians already in Dubai are being urged to follow instructions from local authorities and their accommodation providers, monitor official channels for updates, and stay in close contact with airlines rather than relying on old booking information.
If you have a trip coming up, make sure to check if it is still happening. “It’s really important that Australians do not head to the airport unless they have a confirmed flight showing in their airline, travel agency or tour operator app,” said the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) CEO, Dean Long.
“These changes are occurring every couple of hours, so travellers need to keep checking before they go. Most importantly, do not cancel your ticket, wait for the airline to cancel so you remain eligible for rebooking or a full refund.”
Travellers also need to be aware of strict local laws around online content. UAE authorities have warned that publishing or circulating rumours and information from unknown sources about the conflict on social media can lead to prosecution, with penalties including significant fines and jail time.
Officials have stressed that “information is a responsibility” and urged residents and visitors to rely on official announcements and accredited outlets, especially after clips from Dubai — including a Ramadan cannon blast mistaken for a bomb — spread widely and added to public fear.
Lead image: @symxww_ via TikTok / Getty
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