Since last Saturday, the United Arab Emirates has been the target of more than 800 drones and 200 missiles, leaving three people dead, in what represents the most intense part of Iran’s reprisal campaign
Faced with the fear that the war will prolong, Dubai’s super-rich have started to leave the opulent business center by any means possible, sometimes paying hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A city in the United Arab Emirates has welcomed rich people attracted by low taxes for decadessecurity, luxury and a business-friendly government.
However, in recent days, with drones and missiles streaking across the skies, some are paying large sums to secure a safe escape route. The task is difficult because the UAE’s airspace is partially closed.
“When we saw the fire, we said, ‘OK, it’s time to leave’“, said Evrim, a Turkish woman and mother of two, referring to the explosion caused by missile debris that hit a luxury hotel near her home, on Palm Jumeirah, the artificial archipelago that has become a symbol of the city’s ostentation.
She, her husband and two children paid 200 thousand dollars (R$ 1.03 million) to fly from the neighboring Sultanate of Oman to Geneva, Switzerland, where they intend to wait out the war. To reach the Omani capital, Muscat, they had to drive six hours through the desert.
“We are very nervous (…), mainly because of the children. When they heard the sound of the explosion, they were scared,” he told AFP, referring to the missile interceptions.
Evrim feared that leaving would become even more difficult if the conflict escalated.and, especially if Saudi Arabia, which controls much of the regional airspace, entered the war.
With large theme parks and luxury hotels, the tallest building in the world and even a huge shopping mall with an indoor ski slope, Dubai has become a popular destination for the rich and celebrities.
But its status as a safe haven in a volatile region is now at risk.which left three dead, in what represents the most intense part of Iran’s campaign of reprisals against Gulf countries following the offensive by the United States and Israel that killed its supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei.
Among the places affected are airports and oil infrastructure.
“Our home”
Several foreign governments, including those of the United Kingdom and Germany, are sending planes to Oman to evacuate their citizens, as few flights operate from the Emirates.
Still, many super-rich are finding ways to escape.
According to Glenn Phillips, head of public relations at Air Charter Service, a company that organizes flights on private jets, “demand is clearly increasing”.
“We have already organized several evacuation flights and there are more scheduled for today and tomorrow, mainly from Muscat, in Oman, for people who want to leave Dubai,” he explained.
Prices are soaring due to aircraft shortagesas many are in closed airports. Additionally, private jet operators are hesitant to fly for safety reasons.
The route through Oman is the most popularadded Phillips, but the congestion at the border with the Emirates is so great that some have to wait three or four hours to cross it. If the war drags on, there will be fewer and fewer planes available, he warned.
Demand for private cars to leave the UAE has also increased, especially among wealthy Westerners, said Mike D’Souza, operations coordinator at Indus Chauffeur in Dubai.
Many are leaving the country for Saudi Arabia, whose airports continue to operate. However, obtaining a visa to enter the kingdom has been a challenge for some evacuees.
Among those stuck, those with more modest incomes face even more difficulties leaving.
A British man who preferred not to reveal his name told AFP that getting a seat on a commercial flight from Muscat was extremely difficult for him, his pregnant wife and their three-year-old son. “Prices are extremely high and seats disappear quickly when we try to book,” he said.
In the end, they got tickets for a flight to Hyderabad, India, from where they intend to go to Thailand. “Although my son doesn’t understand what is happening, he is clearly confused, and my wife has also been nervous,” he said.
“That said, it is clear that we love Dubai and consider it our home. We intend to return as soon as our son is born and things calm down,” he added.
*With AFP
