Dubai Stranded: Kiwi’s Fear, Chaos & Consular Crisis

A New Zealander living in Dubai reports ongoing disruptions to daily life, including shortages, rising prices, and limited access to healthcare, amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. The resident also described a crackdown on documenting events and difficulties accessing support from New Zealand consular services.

Concerns Over Evacuation Flights

The New Zealander was among those who registered interest in evacuation but received limited information regarding timing, destinations, or costs. They reported being told that evacuation flights might simply drop passengers somewhere with no onward travel arrangements.

“At one point we were told the flights would just drop us somewhere and we’d have to make our own way home,” they said. “There was never a clear plan.”

Questions were also raised about reports of underutilised evacuation flights. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) stated uptake of available options had been low, the resident said many felt they were never properly offered a seat.

Commercial flights remained an option, but prices were prohibitively high and travel was unpredictable, with potential for airport closures and non-refundable tickets.

Restrictions on Documentation

The resident described a crackdown on documenting events, with authorities warning against taking photos or videos. They alleged that individuals could be arrested for photographing incidents, even on their own property.

“Even if it’s your own apartment, even if a drone flies into it, you can be arrested for taking a photo,” they said. Spot checks were reportedly being carried out, with officials searching phones and detaining people found with images of incidents.

Difficulties Accessing Support

Repeated attempts to contact New Zealand consular services during the emergency were unsuccessful, with calls going to voicemail and a two-day delay in receiving a response.

Compounding the situation, the resident experienced a cyberattack coinciding with a web service outage, resulting in a drained bank account and an inability to stop the theft. Despite reporting the incident, no assistance was provided.

“I contacted the consulate and got nothing. I’m sitting here with a drained account, waiting for my next payday,” they said.

The resident also noted a perception that expatriates were viewed as wealthy and insulated from hardship, leading to a lack of sympathy.

“I’m not an influencer. I’m just trying to support my kids through university,” they said.

MFAT stated it was operating a 24/7 consular response and providing updates on commercial flights and some New Zealand government bus rides from Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. They also deployed two C130s and additional staff to the region as a contingency, though commercial flights have continued to operate.

“MFAT is operating at 24/7 consular response, and anyone who needs help can contact them anytime to discuss their situation,” a spokesperson said. “We do understand this is a stressful time for New Zealanders in the Middle East region.”

– RNZ