Those who are going home to their families think flights to and from their homeland could be disrupted
Residents and businessmen in the country have been forced to alter their travel plans because of the coronavirus outbreak, with many of them delaying their annual leave and cancelling holidays and business trips.
Many feel that with new cases being reported every day, travelling to and from those countries will be challenging in case the situation worsens. Those who are going home to their families think flights to and from their homeland could be disrupted, so reporting back to their duties on time could be a problem.
Dubai resident Kiran Viswam planned to travel to Southeast Asia in January along with his eight friends, but they had to cancel their trip because of the Covid-19 situation.
Viswam, an Indian national, and his friends are now hoping to spend their holiday elsewhere. “We have shortlisted Armenia and Serbia but haven’t decided yet when and where we will go. We plan to travel in a month’s time as there is no travel advisory against these two countries. But we don’t know what will happen in that period,” he told Khaleej Times.
Many countries – especially those badly affected, such as China, Iran, Italy and South Korea – have put restrictions on the movement of people across countries to contain virus. Jobby Mathew, another resident, was planning a family trip to Europe but considering the situation developing in Italy and other countries there, he said this trip is also in the doldrums.
“In April, we were thinking of going to Europe but the situation in Italy is serious. It is a family travel plan, so let us see how the situation changes there. We hope that it will get better,” he said.
Alaa Mohammed, an Iraqi national, has also delayed his annual leave plan for a week because of the Covid-19 impact, fearing airlines will cancel flights to and from Iraq.
“There are already limited flights to Iraq. Therefore, my friends and family members here in the UAE advised that I should cancel my trip. I’ve decided to delay it for a week,” Mohammed said. “My worry is that I might not be able to return on time if Covid-19 spreads further in the region. And rejoining the office on time is my top priority.”
Najum-us-Saqib Sheikh, an auto parts dealer in Dubai, was planning to go to Taiwan to meet potential clients but was advised to put it on hold till travel restrictions are eased.
“I have been told that there could be additional check-ups and screenings for people. Though there are not many cases of Covid-19 there, as a precautionary measure, I have put my plans on hold for now,” Sheikh said.
