CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A metro Atlanta family remains stranded overseas as the U.S. war with Iran enters its second week.
They’re just some of thousands of Americans still stuck in the Middle East As the conflict has led to canceled flights and closed airspace.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna says the family learned about their canceled flight last night.
They went over to help a mother-in-law get a green card. now the flight that was supposed to bring them back here to this terminal has been canceled. And they don’t know when they will be back on American soil again.
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"It’s just very frustrating to feel stuck," Jenny Cotton said.
For Cotton, the trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates was supposed to mark a move forward, finally bringing to an end a three-year immigration journey to get her mother-in-law a green card.
“This is actually really exciting for us,” she said.
But days before the final appointment, war broke out.
“When we started hearing strikes coming in, I was like, ‘What’s going on? Why would they attack Dubai?’” Cotton said.
As the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, Iran fired back, targeting Middle Eastern countries, including Dubai’s airport and the nearby American embassy.
“Like, I’m literally brushing my teeth and going to bed, and I don’t know if I’m going to get bombed tonight. Like that’s just a weird feeling to have,” Cotton said.
A week meant to be one of celebration quickly became one of uncertainty with raid alerts popping up constantly on cell phones — warning to get to safety.
“It’s kind of a mix of like a tornado and an earthquake response. Like you want to get into the most structurally secure part of the building and then away from all windows,” Cotton said.
Thankfully, Dubai’s air defense system worked well, and Cotton says they became used to the new normal.
But then on Friday, Air France sent an email cancelling their March 11 flight — without an option to rebook.
“When that’s taken away from you, and then there’s no other options given, it does feel a little hopeless,” Cotton said.
So now, she and her family are stuck in Dubai in the middle of a war, working to figure out next steps and praying they will soon find a way to return home safely to their Georgia home.
“That will be just such a huge relief for both of us, just to be back home where we’re supposed to be, with who we’re supposed to be, safe and sound,” Cotton said.
She says the communication from both the US and UAE has been great and clear, but unfortunately, there just doesn’t seem to be a good option that would have the family getting home anytime in the near future.
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