Dubai: A group of three transit passengers, stranded by the flight cancellations, have had to sleep in Terminal 3 since last Friday. With hardly any money left, they have been pooling their resources to buy food from the terminal shop.
The passengers were offered a voucher for one night stay at a hotel in Dubai from Emirates Airline, but were then told they had to pay for additional nights themselves. They've therefore had no option but to stay in the terminal.
Houli Loranz, a German, is transiting through Dubai from Bangkok to Munich. He has been in the terminal since 1am on Friday morning. Loranz also has a prosthetic leg, and even though he showed his prosthesis documentation, was offered no additional accommodation.
"I've just been on two months vacation in Thailand, so the money is finished," he told Gulf News.
"I need to take my leg off - I can't sleep in a chair for three days, I have to take it off at some point."
While Loranz has funds in his German bank account, the banks were closed yesterday. "I could fly to Rome," he said, "but the train to Munich from there is full."
After a long time queuing, Loranz was offered a preliminary flight (not guaranteed) for April 24.
Terminal 3 does not have shower facilities in the main departures area, where many are waiting to try and reschedule their flights.
"We've been washing in the disabled toilets," Jenny Scotland, British, said. She arrived at the airport on Wednesday and stayed one night in a hotel. With no money left, she has also been in the terminal since Thursday morning.
"I haven't slept at all… and I haven't had a meal since Wednesday," she said. Jetlagged, she arrived on a flight from Brisbane, and is transiting to Glasgow, Scotland. "I had a 15-hour flight from Australia and I haven't really slept since. I haven't been offered water, food or even a blanket," she said.
John Smith, also British, has been pooling money with Jenny, after being stuck at the terminal on his way from Bangkok to Newcastle, England. "It feels like we've been dumped," he said, adding that he doesn't have any clean clothes left.
Emirates were not available for comment.
Simon Goldsmith, Second Secretary for Political and Media Affairs, British Embassy in Dubai, said: "We are encouraging British nationals affected to stay in regular contact with their airline, keep their family in the UK informed and to consider whether they can take an alternative route back to the UK."
All work: No off day in 38 years
Ian Berry hasn't missed a day of work for 38 years: until now. He and his wife Barbara are in Dubai visiting their daughter. "We were due to fly back last Saturday — actually we should have been home by now. I've never had a day off in 38 years, and I was absolutely trying to make it a record of 40 years," he told Gulf News in a telephone interview yesterday.
Barbara said he was quite disappointed to be breaking his record, and he even made doctors' appointments during his holidays.
He continued that they're keeping in touch with their airline, but were told there were definitely no flights yesterday.
"We'll stay close to hand and we're ready to go at any moment," he said, adding, "It's nice to be here - there are worse places to be stranded!"
Hotlines
www.emirates.com
+971 4 214 4444
+971 4 203 3083
www.etihad.com
Within the UAE: 800 550 55
In Britain: 0800 917 7521
Outside the UAE: +971 2 599 0844 +971 25 990 900
Dubai International Airport
+971 4 224 5555
Flight inquiry +971 4 224 5777
Abu Dhabi Airport
+971 2 505 5555
