Stranded in Doha: A Tourist's Account of Waiting for a Way Home

MOSCOW, March 5 – For Russian tourist Alexei Antoshin, a holiday has turned into an anxious vigil in a Doha hotel room. He is among hundreds of passengers stranded in Qatar after their Qatar Airways flight to Moscow was forced to turn back on February 28, amid regional tensions.

Antoshin described a chaotic first night. After passing through border control, passengers waited for a hotel transfer outside the airport. "An Iranian missile flew right over us, which was shot down by air defense," he recalled. "Everyone was quickly moved to a shelter inside the terminal."

He praised the response from both the airline and Qatari authorities, who have committed to covering all accommodation and food costs for affected passengers through March 7. Yet the psychological toll is evident. "The first night was tense due to a massive attack and the prolonged work of air defense systems," Antoshin said. "The sky was lit up with a bright orange color. While the explosions have lessened, the strain of being in a danger zone is definitely there."

Days have blurred into a frustrating routine. "We're essentially living day to day," he explained. "Every morning at nine, we're promised new information about the airport reopening, but it remains closed and all flights are cancelled. This has been going on for five days, with the hope that tomorrow the status will change."

Passengers have repeatedly contacted the Russian embassy, seeking news of evacuation flights. The answer, Antoshin says, offers little comfort. "Unfortunately, we've been told many times that there will be no special evacuation flights, and that we should just wait."