04 March,2026 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
(From right) Sagar Haveli, his son Manan, his mother Asha, and wife Sukhada at Mumbai airport on Monday. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE
What was supposed to be a routine return from the United States turned into a nerve-wracking ordeal for a Mumbai-based senior citizen and a newlywed couple returning from Italy after they found themselves stranded at Abu Dhabi airport on February 28 following an Iranian attack on a US base in the UAE capital. Passengers who arrived in Mumbai on the first flight out after airline operations resumed revealed what transpired to mid-day.
Borivli resident Asha Haveli, 63, who was travelling to Mumbai via Etihad EY 204, recalls that she and other passengers were about to board the flight when the situation suddenly changed.
Asha Haveli (second from left) is reunited with her family at CSMI Airport on Monday
"We had queued up when everything came to an abrupt halt. We couldn't understand what was happening, but later learnt that a US base in Abu Dhabi had been hit by a missile and, as a precautionary measure, the airport had been temporarily shut down." Proper arrangements were made for the passengers by Etihad Airways and the local administration. After making them wait at the airport for a few hours due to the airspace closure in parts of West Asia, passengers were safely taken to a hotel.
(From left) Kalpit Doshi, his wife Yashmi Shah and the latter's parents, Parul and Bharat, at the airport PICS/SATEJ SHINDE
The latter were made to stay back for two nights as authorities assessed the situation. The passengers expressed gratitude towards the airlines and the administration in Abu Dhabi for handling the situation. "We were getting information about the scale at which the conflict was happening. There was panic initially, but the way it was handled really helped calm us down," said Haveli.
>> Passengers were divided into small groups
>> Accommodation was provided to passengers at the Ciel Dubai Marina along with coupons for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
>> Passengers were told not to step outside the hotel, as chances of more attacks were expected
Asha Haveli and Sharvari Saraf
>> Etihad and Emirates restarted operating flights to various parts of India on Monday
>> Etihad flight EY 204 landed in Mumbai from Abu Dhabi around 7.40 pm that day
What was meant to be the perfect start to their new life together turned into an anxious wait in a foreign land for Goregaon residents Kalpit Doshi and Yashmi Shah. The couple felt their honeymoon memories were being overshadowed by uncertainty and fear as escalating tensions in West Asia disrupted their journey home. According to Bharat Shah, Yashmi's father, the couple had travelled to Italy on February 16 after getting married eight days prior. They were scheduled to return from their honeymoon on February 28, with a layover in Abu Dhabi.
Thanking Etihad Airways and the local administration, Yashmi told mid-day, "Just as we were about to board, we were suddenly told that the flight wouldn't take off. At first, we didn't understand. Later, we were informed that the airspace had been closed due to the ongoing conflict and security reasons. We were scared. Thankfully, the local administration and the airline ensured we were taken to a hotel, the Grand Millennium Al Wahda. We were provided with accommodation and food for the next two days, which was a big relief. On the morning of March 2, we received a message from airline saying a vehicle would pick us up and that we would be put on a rescheduled flight." According to the couple, a 1000-dirham voucher was given to each passenger.
