Only passenger on flight to Dubai explains why she flew there amid conflict

Marina Gilla was the only passenger on a flight from Latvia to Dubai earlier this week — highlighting how tourism in the once-glitzy destination has taken a hit

At a time when thousands of people are scrambling to leave Dubai, one woman became an unusual exception as she flew into the UAE city. Marina Gilla was the only passenger on a flight from Latvia to Dubai earlier this week — highlighting how tourism in the once-glitzy destination has taken a hit.

Marina Gilla was the only passenger on a flight to Dubai from Riga earlier this week (Instagram/@marinagilla2022)

Dubai has been caught in the crossfire of the United States-Israel-Iran conflict. The UAE has faced over two-thirds of Iran’s strikes, a move analysts attribute partly to its strong defence and intelligence partnerships with Western powers and Dubai’s standing as a major global finance and tourism hub.

With constant drone and missile attacks from Iran targeting Dubai, foreigners that populated the city are now leaving in droves. (Also read: Woman stranded at Taj Dubai racks up ₹6 lakh bill: ‘Hotel is saying if you can’t afford it, then leave’)

Woman flies to Dubai alone on plane

In the midst of this, Marina Gilla presents an unusual case. Gilla is an English language teacher who became the only passenger on a Fly Dubai flight from Riga, Latvia to Dubai earlier this week.

In a video shared on Instagram yesterday, Gilla showed how she was the only passenger on the commercial flight as no one else is flying into Dubai at this time. “When you are the only passenger on the plane to Dubai on the 8th of March, 2026,” she wrote.

So why did the Latvia-based English teacher fly to Dubai at a time of conflict? She explained that she received a job offer she could not refuse.

“It was a weird flight from Riga to Dubai. I was shocked they didn't cancel and I was able to go to UAE as got a good job offer,” she wrote in the comments section.

Gilla said she landed safely and the flight was good, with the flight attendants offering her “a lot of food”. Not only that, she also got to meet the pilot.

“In the other video, there is a flight attendant walking, and besides there there 4 flight attendants altogether! And guess what they did!? They sat down in different areas of the plane to relax, eat and enjoy the food. Just like I did. Moreover, a pilot came up to me to welcome me aboard a d apologized for a 6 hour delay,” the Latvian woman said in the comments section.