Tensions in the Middle East have risen following Iran airstrikes, making it hard for Koreans and travelers staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to secure return flights. Only one nonstop flight a day operates between Incheon and Dubai, and finding a connecting flight is not easy, prompting a "lightning click" race to book tickets.
Economy class seats sell out quickly, leaving only upper-class tickets priced at 10 million won. Without a ticket, people cannot even enter the airport, leading some residents to say, "First, you have to get a ticket."
According to the aviation and travel industries on the 6th, Emirates flight EK322 took off from Dubai International Airport at 6:39 a.m. local time and is headed for Incheon International Airport. It is the first nonstop flight from the UAE after the U.S. and Israel's airstrikes on Iran. The flight reportedly carries 372 Koreans.
Starting with this passenger flight, one Dubai–Incheon nonstop flight a day is expected to operate for the time being. The problem is that this is not enough to meet demand from Koreans and travelers staying in the UAE. Excluding local residents, the number of Koreans on short stays mainly in the UAE region is estimated at around 3,000.
Besides nonstop flights, there are routes into Korea via connections from Dubai International Airport through Taipei, Taiwan; Hanoi, Vietnam; or Guangzhou, China, but those tickets are also reportedly hard to get.
In a Kakao open chat room where local residents and travelers share airfare information, tips such as "To get a ticket, you need to keep refreshing the airline's website and book the moment a seat appears" are being shared.
A travel agency official said, "Not only Koreans but people from around the world stranded at Dubai International Airport are competing to get tickets," adding, "Inquiries are pouring in for connecting flights as well as nonstops."
Even if you secure a ticket, it is uncertain whether the flight will depart as scheduled. Sudden cancellations are not uncommon. Emirates flight EK322 departing Dubai International Airport on this day also took off about three hours later than scheduled. A passenger flight scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi for Incheon International Airport was canceled due to local conditions.
A person surnamed A on EK322 said before departure that they were on edge until boarding "because prices changed and tickets were canceled."
Prices are also a burden. Economy class seats on the Dubai–Incheon flight cost 2,540 dirhams (about 1 million won). Because they sell out in an instant, for the 8th only upper-class seats priced at 10 million won remain.
It is unclear when flights will normalize. Korean Air Lines, which had operated the Dubai–Incheon route before suspending it, is reviewing whether to resume. A Korean Air Lines official said, "It is not easy to resume operations due to GPS interference, drones, and missiles in Middle East airspace," adding, "We will make a decision after comprehensively reviewing local safety conditions."