Passengers Arrive Safely in Dublin
Nearly 400 passengers expressed relief and happiness upon arriving in Dublin on Wednesday night after their Emirates flight from Dubai landed safely. This flight marked the first to arrive in several days following the closure of most Middle Eastern airspace due to United States-Israeli attacks on Iran.
One passenger, Norita Geary, described the atmosphere upon landing:
"Everyone clapped when the plane landed and we all cheered."
"It was unreal. I mean you see these things on television, you see them in movies but you just don't think you'll end up there yourself," Norita added.
A second direct flight from Dubai to Dublin is scheduled for Thursday, carrying approximately 400 more passengers.
Experiences of Passengers During the Crisis
Rushali Lakhani expressed her gratitude and relief at returning home:
"I am very happy and very grateful to be back."
"It was quite a stressful time but grateful and thanking our lucky stars really."
"It was quite nerve wracking, we couldn't really sleep much."
"A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of bangs. There were no airplanes flying so whenever we heard some noises we knew that it wasn't good news."
Susan and Monica Miller recounted their experience at the airport when the conflict began:
"We were in the airport when it all kicked off," they said, describing it as "the most traumatic part" due to hours spent queuing to exit.
"The local UAE fighter jets we could see them patrolling. We could hear some noises but because we were about 30 minutes west of the airport we weren't in any immediate zones that were frightening," Susan added.
"We are thrilled to be home and it is emotional."
"I think it is staycations for a little while."
Alex Anderson, a resident of Frankfurt, Germany, who was transferring through Dubai from Malaysia, described his ordeal:
"It was really difficult."
"On my flight into Dubai I saw the missile trails but we didn't know what they were, so we were shocked when we landed and found out."
"It was a bit of chaos."
"It was nerve-racking hearing what was going on as I waited in the hotel and then there was the frustration of getting the flights cancelled."
Mark O'Kane, who has lived in Dubai for 24 years, traveled to Dublin with his daughter on Wednesday evening. He reflected on the situation:
"It would remind you a bit of the Troubles, you know, growing up you hear bombs. But life goes on."
"The only thing I can say is it felt safe, the defence systems in Dubai were fantastic."
Waiting for Loved Ones Amid Uncertainty
Elizabeth Jenkins was at Dublin Airport awaiting the arrival of her partner Josh, who had been delayed in Dubai since Saturday while returning from Australia. She described the experience as:
"Really scary because it's been like a really mixed experience."
"Some of it has just been the same challenges as like Covid and lockdown where you just have been separated and stuck in a hotel room."
"The other side of it, so they had a warning when they first got in and had to shelter away from the windows."
Josh was staying in a hotel near the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Elizabeth recounted:
"The only time they went out of the hotel there was a massive explosion and then when the second one came everyone just rushed back inside."
