A young couple from Co Kilkenny who are stranded in Dubai have criticised the ”complete lack of communication” since the Iran bombings started on Saturday.
James Brennan Smyth, 20, and his girlfriend Taylor Rafter, 20, travelled to Dubai on 21 February for a week long break in the sun.
They were due to fly home via Egypt yesterday morning but have been unable to leave their hotel.
The couple said the hotel told them that they have to cover their own costs.
They were forced to pay for an extra night of accommodation last night which they said has drained their funds and left them worried about how they will cover the rest of the mounting expenses.
However, they said the lack of information is the one of the biggest issues they have faced over the past three days.
”On our end especially, it’s been near impossible. Like we’ve sat the last two and a half days just on hold on calls, not getting anywhere with them,” Mr Brennan Smyth told RTÉ News from his hotel.
“We were like [to the hotel] so if we don’t pay, what happens? And essentially, what they told us in nice words was, basically, you’ll be out on the street”
”It’s cost us money obviously for calling from outside Ireland, but we’ve been given absolutely no indication as to what to do.
“It’s all just been like, stay under shelter and stuff like that. We’ve tried reaching out to our airlines, we’ve tried reaching out to our agent that we booked with, nothing from them. There’s been no help. With the Irish embassy, we haven’t really heard anything from them either at all,” he said.
The couple’s families have registered them as being in the Middle East with the consular team in Dublin.
Family members have also tried to make contact with their airline and booking agent to get clarification on what the couple should do.
”We’re not getting updated over here. But we need communication at the bare minimum and we need to get out. That is the main thing.
“We just do need to get home because I know my family, Taylor’s family, everyone we’ve been speaking to over here, all their families are worried sick about them. So we do just need to get home as soon as possible,” Mr Brennan Smyth added.
The couple said that they had not been made aware of reports that the United Arab Emirates will pay for the hotels and meals of more than 20,000 passengers who are stuck in the country due to airspace closures.
”We were like [to the hotel] so if we don’t pay, what happens? And essentially, what they told us in nice words was, basically, you’ll be out on the street,” Mr Brennan Smyth said.
On the first night of the bombings they took shelter in the hotel basement with other guests.
”It’s just a couple of corridors, we just had a duvet underneath us to sleep on the floor.
“And it was kind of just make yourself comfortable type of way. Like it wasn’t much amenities supplied to us. It was just grab whatever you can, like duvets, bedding and everything and just put that on the floor and sleep on it,” Mr Brennan Smyth said.
The couple feel stranded and said they are desperate to get back home.
”We’re not getting given anything to actually help us, especially when we’re over here.
“And as the days go on, the stress becomes higher because there is no news source over here.
“There’s no compensation being given. And there’s no communication as to when we actually might have a window of being able to get out and get home safely,” Mr Brennan Smyth added.
Read more:
Irish citizens in Middle East should shelter in place – Taoiseach
Windows rattled as missiles flew overhead – Irish woman in Doha
‘I thought my world was going to end’ – Irish man in Doha
Iran conflict widens to Lebanon, Kuwait mistakenly shoots down US jets
