'Very lucky' Manchester passengers back from Dubai

The first flight from Dubai has arrived back into Manchester since conflict broke out across much of the Middle East at the weekend.

Family members and travellers at Manchester Airport told the BBC they were "relieved" to be back in the UK after approximately 200 passengers arrived into Manchester from Dubai on an Emirates flight.

Airlines began to suspend flights from the region after the US and Israel launched initial strikes against Iran on Saturday.

Long-haul travel remains heavily affected in the region as the conflict continues, with airline passengers being urged to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.

The Emirates flight arrived into Manchester at 12:51 GMT - 96 minutes later than scheduled.

BBC North West Tonight spoke to passengers and their families in the arrivals hall.

"It's absolutely brilliant to be home," said Emily Bexan. "We are just glad to be safe."

Emily had been on holiday with her mum, Julie Bexan.

The pair, from Nantwich in Cheshire, had originally intended to fly back to the UK on Saturday.

"It was quite confusing - we had a call at about 2am local time this morning, asking if we were ready to go," Julie explained. "Looking at some of the news I think we are very lucky to be back."

Emily described the atmosphere in Dubai before they left as one of solidarity.

"Everyone is sticking together out there," she said.

Her mum added: "We are home and that is all that matters - we hope everybody else gets home as well."

Fellow passenger Roy Woodhead, from Sheffield, flew from Dubai to Manchester on his way home from Singapore.

"It was definitely a shock," Woodhead said of the conflict in the Middle East. "It came out of the blue.

"The people in Dubai have been absolutely smashing."

Speaking about his journey home, he said: "There was a lot of kerfuffle getting here.

"They're obviously in chaos with the ticketing - this was my third attempted to get on a flight.

"I arrived to check-in to an earlier flight this morning and it was cancelled as I stood at the check-in," he said. "Luckily I was directed to a later flight.

"It was a bit nervy taking off but once we were in the air it was smashing."

Satwinder Samra, also from Sheffield, spoke to the BBC at the arrivals gate as he waited for his wife, Emma England, who was arriving back into Manchester after a business trip to Dubai.

"I feel over the moon that she was able to board a flight and has now landed - and very relieved that she is home safe and sound," he said.

"It's been very difficult waiting," Satwinder added. "But we have nothing but praise for the airline and government and everybody who has made it happen so that friends and family are brought back to the UK safely."

Saketh Darehamulla had been due to fly back to the UK from Mumbai, but his travel plans from India were changed as a result of the ongoing security situation in the Middle East.

After his flight was cancelled he flew from Mumbai to Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia - where he said he was eventually able to get a flight home to Manchester.

"It was pretty nervy to be honest," Saketh told the BBC.

"I'd spent a long time just scrolling through the news, wondering if my flight was cancelled - I spent all of yesterday checking that, so I'm very grateful to be back.

"I feel very relieved - I was worried something would happen and I'd be stuck in Jeddah."

Alison, from Manchester, was also waiting at the airport for her family members to return.

"It's been very worrying," she said. "We just wanted them home - they've been really really frightened there - they just wanted to get out."

Alison said her family had benefitted from "a lot of very good luck" by managing to get on a flight home.

"They were booking a lot of flights as and when they were released," Alison said of her family. "And a travel agent helped us. But it was luck... absolute luck."

She added: "I just hope everybody gets back safely who wants to get back - because my family met so many people on their journey who were just desperate to get back home - and it's very hard at the minute."

Since the conflict began on Saturday, more than 100,000 Britons in the Middle East have registered for UK government help.

The Emirates aeroplane used for the Dubai-Manchester flight has a capacity of about 484 passengers, meaning it operated at less than half of its capacity.

In a statement released on its website, Emirates said: "All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 23:59 GST on 4 March, due to airspace closures across the region.

"Emirates continues to operate a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights on 3 and 4 March.

"We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights.

"Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified directly by Emirates, or hold a confirmed booking for these flights.

"Emirates continues to monitor the situation, and we will develop our operational schedule accordingly."

Customers are asked to check the airline's website for further information.

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