Stranded in Doha, Chennai resident reaches Riyadh by road to fly back home

Chennai resident Varun Krishnan's journey reveals the fragility of travel amid geopolitical tensions after being stranded in Doha.

For more than a decade, international travel had been a routine part of Varun Krishnan’s professional life. Each year, he would fly out to attend one of the world’s largest technology conferences, moving through airports and transit hubs with the quiet predictability that frequent flyers come to expect.

This year’s journey began in much the same way. He left Chennai for Barcelona on February 28 with a scheduled transit stop in Doha, expecting a short halt before continuing to Spain. But somewhere over West Asia, the routine began to change.

“As we were approaching Iraqi airspace, I noticed on the flight map that we were slowing down and circling,” Mr. Krishnan recalled. “Soon after, the captain announced that because of security concerns the flight would be returning to Doha.”

By the time the aircraft landed, the regional security situation had worsened. Military escalation in parts of West Asia had triggered airspace restrictions, forcing airlines to cancel or reroute flights. One of the world’s busiest transit hubs was suddenly dealing with uncertainty on a massive scale.

Mr. Krishnan found himself among thousands of stranded passengers trying to understand what would happen next. “Emergency alerts started going off on our phones even before we landed,” he said. “That was the first moment I realised how serious the situation was.”

For several days, he remained in Doha waiting for clarity on flight schedules. The hotel accommodation arranged by the airline initially provided relief, but as cancellations continued, the experience became emotionally taxing. “It was safe, but it felt like a waiting zone,” he said. “I had planned to be in Barcelona, not staying indoors in a city I hadn’t intended to visit.”