In a significant development, San Francisco International Airport has once again become a gateway for passengers traveling directly from the Middle East, as it welcomed an Emirates flight from Dubai. This marks the first non-stop service since the onset of the Iran war.

On Thursday, the terminal was filled with emotional reunions as travelers from Dubai finally reunited with their families and friends. The arrival of this flight has been highly anticipated, bringing relief after weeks of disrupted travel plans.

Many of the passengers shared their experiences with ABC7 Eyewitness News, recounting how their work-related trips transformed into unexpected ordeals. As the conflict intensified, they found themselves stranded, spending days in shelters while the sound of distant explosions added to their anxiety. The uncertainty of when they could return home loomed large.

Among those affected was Heather Doherty from Alameda, who had embarked on a business trip to India. Her journey was abruptly interrupted when her connecting flight from Dubai had to turn back mid-air due to the escalating violence in the region.

“I couldn’t be more relieved to be home,” Doherty expressed, her voice filled with relief. “It was five days of uncertainty, but I’m thrilled to be back on American soil,” she told the news outlet.

“It was five days of uncertainty, but I’m thrilled to be back on American soil,” she told the outlet.

“I spent the first night huddled on the floor next to my bed, worried about the windows exploding — so you hear alerts going off, you hear explosions in the sky,” she added.

Susan Daley from Chicago was also in the Middle East for work and described her experience to ABC. “We had a lovely lunch, then the bombing started, so we went back to the hotel, and at that point, we were sheltering in place, locked down, doing whatever they told us to do.”

For Dubai residents Jeyaram and Jayant Deshpande, the idea of returning to the Middle East brought no hesitation.

“The civilians are so safe,” said Venkatesh Jeyaram of Dubai. “We are very well taken care of. I’m absolutely not worried about going back to Dubai.”

The joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, Operation Epic Fury, has escalated into a full-scale conflict to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and achieve regime change.

As of March 5, 2026, the strikes have reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and devastated the Iranian Navy, while Tehran has retaliated with massive missile and drone barrages against U.S. bases and allies across the Persian Gulf.