Some Hong Kong residents stranded in the Middle East amid the US-Israeli attack on Iran have voiced frustration over repeated flight cancellations, rising hotel costs and dwindling phone data as they navigate rapidly changing emergency policies.
As of Tuesday, at least 585 stranded Hong Kong residents had filed inquiries, including requests for information about itineraries and flight schedules, according to the Immigration Department. Four have since left the region.
Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed that about 13,000 of roughly 32,000 flights scheduled to operate into and out of the Middle East had been cancelled since Saturday, when the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran.
On social media platform Threads, one user expressed frustration over repeatedly purchasing Emirates flights available online that were later cancelled and refunded.
“Cancelled, refunded, reimbursing administrative fees – it keeps repeating,” the user wrote, adding an unhappy emoji.
The user also shared a photo of a WhatsApp conversation her friend had with the Immigration Department, which advised the individual to travel by road from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Oman and board a flight home.
