Mangaluru: Escalating West Asia conflict has disrupted Easter home travel plans for expatriates from Karnataka’s coastal districts, employed in the Arabian Gulf region and Israel, with many forced to remain abroad during one of the busiest homecoming periods of the year. For non-resident Indians from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada, Easter is traditionally a time for family reunions, weddings and post-Lenten celebrations. This year, however, airspace closures, changes in flight routes and growing security concerns across West Asia have upended those plans, in an eerie similarity with Covid-time movement restrictions.
Neha D’Souza, working in the UAE for the last 13 years, said the crisis has forced many like her to stay back in the UAE. “Also, due to the ongoing situation, the Holy Week prayer services have been moved online,” she said. Elston D’Cruz, another expatriate in the UAE, said many had chosen not to travel because of uncertainty and limited direct flights to Mangaluru. “It is better to avoid travel in these situations, unless there is an emergency,” he said. The situation in Dubai has remained calm. However, Catholic churches in Oud Metha and Jebel Ali were temporarily closed from Good Friday onwards under govt directives, with masses and services held online, he added. In Bahrain, expatriates reported similar difficulties. Vincent Sequeira, who has worked there for 23 years, said many had decided to celebrate Easter locally because regular flights to their hometowns were unavailable. Those working in Israel said prayers were being held in Jerusalem with limited gatherings, while services in places such as Tel Aviv-Yafo had been suspended. Despite the exorbitant prices of air tickets, some travellers were trying to fly to home via Jordan. Travel agents and community members said several expatriates who had booked tickets weeks in advance were left stranded with several airlines either cancelling or rerouting flights. Meanwhile, families who had prepared to welcome relatives for Easter were forced to scale down celebrations. The fallout has also affected weddings and other family functions scheduled for April and May. Primus D’Souza, a caterer, said the uncertainty had led to several postponements. “Due to the ongoing crisis, all scheduled functions have been pushed back to Sept and beyond,” he said. A parish priest in Mangaluru said several church-linked events and family gatherings had either been cancelled or deferred.
