Actor Viineet Singh's Dubai-India flight delayed in conflict, says 'staff handled it well'
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.]
For Indian actor Viineet Kumar Singh, his first visit to Dubai could have ended in a kerfuffle, thanks to the temporary UAE airspace closure after Iran attacked a US military base in Qatar.
The actor was at the Dubai Airport on Monday night, ready to board an Emirates flight to Mumbai, when the suspension of flights cause an hour of delay.
While many passengers were worried, Singh did not panic, he told Khaleej Times after safely reaching India. Recounting the experience, he said, "My flight was supposed to take off at 9:40, and I was waiting close to the gate. However, boarding did not start even as we approached takeoff time, which led to passengers wondering whether our departure would be affected."
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
"My wife was worried"
The Mukkabaaz actor had posted a story on Instagram at 9:23pm that he was waiting at the gate for departure.
"I usually try to stay calm during any crisis, as panicking doesn't help. But I started getting calls from friends and family who were worried about me. We heard that flights from the UAE were affected because of Iran's attack on US military base in Qatar," Singh said.
"My wife is pregnant, she was waiting for me in Mumbai and checking in constantly. I told her not to worry," he shared.
Singh said that there was no cause for worry as the airline and airport staff handled the situation efficiently.
"The staff at the Dubai airport ensured everyone stayed calm and assured passengers that they would have some information soon. They handled the situation very well," Singh added.
The flight then took off around 10:45, an hour after scheduled departure.
"Extended my stay to explore"
This was Singh's first trip to Dubai. Here to attend a media summit, Singh extended his stay to spend 5-6 days in the UAE. Despite the heat, he went around meeting friends and visiting places to see in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
"I was quite fascinated by how this spectacular city has been built on a desert, so I wanted to explore as much as possible. I went to Old Dubai, explored the Souk, went to the Marina. I also took a walk on the beach in the evening. I did not let the heat deter me," Singh shared, adding that he hoped to be back soon.
Singh also visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. "It was a special experience to offer prayers at the temple," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Business
2 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Dubai attracts 8.68 million international visitors in first 5 months of 2025
Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes Dubai attracted 8.68 million international visitors from January to May 2025, marking a 7 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024, which recorded 8.12 million tourists, according to the latest data released by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism ( In May alone, the city welcomed 1.53 million international tourists, the Tourism Performance Report January – May 2025 showed. Western Europe was the leading source market, contributing 1.917 million visitors and accounting for 22 per cent of the total. Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and Eastern Europe followed with 1.396 million tourists (16 per cent). International visitors from Asia and MENA region South Asia came third with 1.242 million visitors (14 per cent), while the GCC region accounted for 1.275 million (15 per cent). The Middle East and North Africa brought in 989,000 visitors (11 per cent), followed by Northeast and Southeast Asia with 771,000 tourists (9 per cent). The Americas contributed 601,000 visitors (7 per cent), Africa 346,000 (4 per cent), and Australia 141,000 (2 per cent). Dubai hotel inventory As of May, Dubai's hotel inventory grew to 825 establishments offering 153,356 rooms, up from 822 hotels and 150,202 rooms in May Average hotel occupancy increased to 83 per cent, up from 81 per cent during the same period last year. Total occupied room nights reached 19.09 million, a 4 per cent rise from 18.34 million in 2024. Visitors stayed an average of 3.8 nights per trip. The average daily room rate climbed to Dhs620, a 5 per cent increase from Dhs590 in the previous year. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) also rose by 7 per cent, reaching Dhs513, compared to Dhs478 in the same period of 2024.
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
Flights cancelled to the UAE: Air India, Wizz Air, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and more suspend routes
Several international carriers have suspended flights to the UAE amid the tension between Iran and Israel. Several flights to and from the UAE were also affected on Monday evening as a number of regional countries closed their airspace due to the Iranian attack on US airbase Al Udeid in Qatar. But Dubai Airports announced late on Monday that it had resumed full operations 'following a temporary precautionary pause'. 'Travellers are advised to stay informed by checking regularly with their airlines for the latest updates,' Dubai Media Office posted on X. Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport also urged travellers on Tuesday to check latest flight schedules before heading to the airport. A number of international flights into the UAE remain cancelled or suspended as of Tuesday. Air India announced on Monday that it has ceased all operations to the UAE 'until further notice'. The suspension also effects their flights to and from other Middle Eastern destinations, as well as the East Coast of North America and Europe. 'We request the understanding of all passengers who may be affected by this disruption that's beyond an airline's control. Air India is in continuous consultation with its external security advisers and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation,' the airline posted on X. Another Indian airline, IndiGo, which announced suspension of all flights to the region on Monday, said on Tuesday morning that it was 'progressively resuming operations'. 'We continue to monitor the situation closely and are fully considering the safest available flight paths to ensure secure and seamless travel,' the airline said. 'Please stay updated via our mobile app or website.' IndiGo operates flights from several Indian cities to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and other GCC destinations. Wizz Air announced on Tuesday that it is cancelling all flights to and from the UAE until June 30. 'In light of the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, and due to the closure of multiple airspaces across the region yesterday evening we diverted our flights to alternative airports,' the airline said. 'The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority. We will keep you informed as the situation evolves.' Singapore Airlines has halted its daily flight between Singapore and Dubai until Wednesday. 'Customers affected by the flight cancellations will be reaccommodated on alternative flights or can seek a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket,' the airline said. Air Canada, which suspended its daily non-stop flights between Toronto and Dubai on June 18, will continue to pause the flights until July 3 'as a precautionary measure'. The suspension could be further extended 'following a safety assessment in consultation with government and other authorities', the airline said. Chicago-based United Airlines has also suspended flights from Newark, New Jersey, to Dubai until July 3. Dutch airline KLM is also offering rebook and refund options to passengers who were scheduled to fly between Amsterdam and Dubai between June 19 and June 29. British Airways, which cancelled flights to Dubai on Sunday, said on Monday night that their flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi were operating as normal. British Airways flights to and from Doha, however, have been suspended until Wednesday. The airline is offering a 'flexible booking policy' for customers booked on flights heading to Dubai and Doha who wish to change their dates of travel. 'Those due to travel between now and June 29, 2025 can rebook on to a later flight up to and including July 13, 2025, free of charge, by contacting us by phone,' the airline said. On Monday, the US State Department issued a security alert for all its citizens travelling abroad, saying 'there is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad'. 'The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution. Please read carefully our Travel Advisory, country information and any recent security alerts when planning travel,' the department posted on X and on its website.
Arabian Business
11 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Dubai's Emirates resumes normal flight operations
Emirates passengers faced minimal disruption to their travel plans following Sunday night's regional developments, with the Dubai-based carrier resuming scheduled flights within hours of the events. The airline activated its contingency and disruption plans as tensions escalated in the Middle East, with Iran firing missiles at a US air base in Qatar on June 23. Emirates reported no flight diversions, with only a small number of cancellations and some flights taking longer routes due to airspace congestion. Dubai's Emirates serves 1.7mn passengers despite Middle East conflict zone disruptions 'Despite rapidly evolving regional developments, it's been business as usual across the Emirates network,' the airline said in a statement. Over the past fortnight, Emirates has served more than 1.7 million passengers on over 5,800 flights whilst rerouting aircraft to avoid conflict zones. The carrier suspended flights to areas directly affected by conflict whilst maintaining operations to other destinations. Services to Amman and Beirut were briefly suspended but resumed quickly, allowing thousands of families to begin their summer holidays. 'The safety of Emirates' passengers and crew is its absolute priority, and the airline would never fly if it was not safe to do so,' Emirates said. The company continuously monitors developments, coordinates with aviation authorities, and assesses risks to ensure flights are safely rerouted away from conflict zones whilst meeting regulatory requirements. Throughout the two-week period, the airline maintained customer communication through operational website updates and social media channels, with reservations teams helping to reaccommodate affected passengers. As the busy summer travel season approaches, Emirates will continue monitoring developments in coordination with relevant authorities. The airline's priority remains ensuring safe and smooth operations by adapting quickly and appropriately so customers can travel with confidence. For decades, Emirates has navigated challenges whilst maintaining its commitment to connecting customers to their destinations safely, efficiently and comfortably. The UAE's leadership has implemented contingency plans and systems to support services, enabling Emirates to maintain safe, uninterrupted operations.
