Dubai issues ‘no eviction’ order for hotels as Birmingham travellers stranded

By Gbam Godwin On Mar 2, 2026

Dubai issues ‘no eviction’ order for hotels as Birmingham travellers stranded.

Dubai officials have issued an urgent instruction to hotels around the emirate, instructing them not to expel tourists who have been stuck due to persistent transit difficulties.

The move comes as many visitors from Birmingham and the Black Country find themselves stranded in the Middle East due to a series of airline cancellations affecting major routes, including those returning to Birmingham Airport.

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism issued an email directive to hotel providers throughout the city, instructing them to provide all necessary assistance to any tourists affected by flight cancellations or delays in the aftermath of mass flight disruptions in the Middle East as the conflict between the US and Iran continues.

In an email obtained by English-language Dubai publication the Khaleej Times, the Dubai tourist board described how hotels could assist stranded travellers.

“We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that hotel guests who were due to check out but are unable to do so as a result of these circumstances are offered the option to extend their stay under the same conditions as their initial booking,” the letter from DET states.

“It is important that no guests are evicted under these circumstances.”

An aerial view of an airport shows a plume of smoke rising from the background, indicating a possible incident or emergency situation. The foreground displays various airport infrastructure, including aircraft parked at the gates and runways. — A plume of smoke caused by an Iranian strike is seen in the background of Dubai International Airport -Credit:AP

Hotels are not permitted to eject stranded visitors who are unable to pay for a lengthier stay, but must notify the DET as soon as possible.

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The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority has also announced that the UAE will cover all expenditures for individuals stranded in the situation, as well as feeding and lodging for tourists who have been left in limbo.

In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Culture and Tourism has directed hotels throughout the capital to extend the stay of any customers who are unable to travel due to aircraft interruptions, with the department covering the cost of the additional nights.

The Dubai Tourism Board’s statement comes as the UK Foreign Office prepares to evacuate tens of thousands of British citizens if the Middle East conflict develops.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated on Sunday that over 200,000 British citizens are believed to be in the Gulf region.

He asked all Britons in areas targeted by Iranian strikes to register with the Foreign Office so that they can obtain advice on next measures. He noted that approximately 94,000 people have done so thus far.

A man stands in front of a closed check-in counter for Gulf carrier Etihad at London Heathrow Airport in west London on March 1, 2026, as flights are severely disrupted following the US and Israel's strikes on Iran. The biggest disruption to global air transport since the Covid pandemic continued on March 1, with thousands of flights affected and busy Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai and Doha shuttered as Iran lashed out after US-Israeli strikes. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

More than 50,000 of those persons are believed to be in the United Arab Emirates, with tourists and holidaymakers accounting for the vast majority of the figure. With Dubai’s airspace currently closed, thousands of people have been stuck.

The Foreign Office urges Britons from travelling to Iran, Israel, or Palestine. It also advises against all but essential travel to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as avoiding some areas of Pakistan.

British people in Saudi Arabia are recommended to remain at home, while those in Jordan, Oman, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq are encouraged to take all necessary precautions due to heightened regional tensions in the Middle East.