Amid the chaos, Ershad Kaleebullah, a tech content creator from Pune who was stuck at Hamad International Airport in Qatar, took to social media to commend Qatar Airways and airport staff for their response.
He said food coupons were distributed to all stranded passengers and were redeemable at the airport food court for every meal. “Food coupons were distributed to everyone at the airport. You could just redeem them at the food court. For all meals, no less,” he wrote.
“We had decided to stay at the lounge until the airspace opened. In fact, we went off to sleep at 10:30pm itself. At 12:30am we were all woken up by the lounge staff and asked to move to the transfer desk. The entire airport was getting evacuated, including the staff. Everything was handled smoothly,” he added.
This is an appreciation post for @qatarairways and @HIAQatar.
– Food coupons were distributed to everyone at the airport. You could just redeem them at the food court. For all meals, no less.– We had decided to stay at the lounge until the airspace opened. In fact, we went… pic.twitter.com/ReWr1PDB2U
— Ershad Kaleebullah (@r3dash) March 1, 2026
He mentioned that passengers have also been assisted with accommodations in Doha, including rooms at several five‑star hotels with three-time meals provided.
“Rooms arranged across different 5 star properties across Doha city. With breakfast, lunch and dinner all taken care of. And, we have assurance that stay and food will be taken care of until the airspace is shut,” he added.
He also praised staff members, saying, “Every single staff was attentive and answering questions with a smile. Even if they didn’t have answers…they made us feel very, very comfortable.”
Another passenger told Khaleej Times that he and his family were stranded on Saturday after their flight to Bangalore was cancelled. He said they arrived in the UAE last week and were ready to fly back when they learned at the airport that all flights were cancelled.
Sirens sounded and they received alerts on their phones to take shelter. “A few hours later, the airport provided free meals and hotel vouchers to help stranded passengers,” he said.
He said his family was taken to the hotel in a school bus, and everyone at the airport was helpful. He called the staff “very supportive” and said since the airspace was still closed, their flight voucher was extended for a day at no extra cost.
According to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), over 20,000 passengers have been affected by the rescheduling of flights so far.
The UAE government has officially announced it will cover all accommodation, meal and rebooking costs for about 20,000 stranded passengers. Announced by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the move aims to support passengers stranded due to rescheduled or cancelled flights, as per a report in TOI.
By activating a comprehensive emergency relief plan, the state is directly funding all hosting and accommodation expenses at major hubs like Dubai, Abudhabi, and Sharjah, ensuring that passengers are not burdened by unexpected costs. This state-led initiative includes providing temporary hotel stays, meals, and refreshments for passengers. To manage the chaos, airport authorities and national carriers are working to facilitate rebooking procedures and coordinate logistics.
Additionally, accommodation and transportation are being provided for the safety and well-being of transit passengers.
