'Grateful to be away from the tensions': Tearful reunions at Changi T3 as more Singaporeans return from Middle East

For a second night running, scenes of tearful but joyful reunion played out at Changi Airport Terminal 3, as some 167 Singaporeans and their dependents landed safely in Singapore from Muscat, Oman on Sunday (March 8) night.

Along with the 152 persons who returned home on Saturday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has reunited 319 Singaporeans and their dependents with their families, for now — with plans underway to dispatch a third repatriation flight from Saudi Arabia later this week.

"Relieved" was the word most commonly used by family members and friends to describe how they felt being able to see their loved ones again.

For several of them, it has been days, or even more than a week of anticipation after the United States and Israel struck Iran on Feb 28.

In the week that followed, the Middle East crisis widened as Iran launched retaliatory strikes around the Gulf, resulting in the closure of airspace and flight cancellations.

42-year-old Nadia Ghani, who has been an English teacher in Abu Dhabi for 11 years, told AsiaOne that she is just grateful to be back, adding that sleep is one of her priorities.

"The biggest deprivation we've had the whole week was not being able to sleep — not being able to sleep through the night because we wake up to alerts, we wake up to the sounds," said Ghani, adding that she has heard and seen the missile and drone interceptions.

But Ghani turned upbeat when she recounted the moment that arrangements for the government-assisted repatriation flight were complete.

"We are relieved to be back. Really, we're grateful to be able to come back, away from the tensions for a little. 

"We are really grateful to MFA, the Singapore embassy in Abu Dhabi, and all the MFA officers who came down and just took care of us from when we left Abu Dhabi, crossing the Al Ain border into Oman.

"They took care of us from point to point until we got to Muscat (in Oman)," Ghani said.

Jason Low, 34, was on a three-week holiday in Dubai when the situation in the Middle East deteriorated. 

Recalling the uncertainties and flight cancellations, he said: "It was hopeful after you have booked a flight, then it gets cancelled and you feel disappointed. Then you rebook, and it gets cancelled again for a few times."

Low, who was initially scheduled to return on Feb 28, added that he was just "very glad" the Government managed to mount a repatriation flight to get Singaporeans back safely.

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'Spirit of helping one another during emergencies'

In a social media post after Singapore Airlines flight SQ8001 landed at Changi Airport, MFA said that 167 Singaporeans and their dependents were on the flight.

The ministry added that the remaining seats on the flight were extended to citizens from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea, "in the spirit of helping one another during emergencies."

It also said that they would continue assisting Singaporeans in the Middle East who wish to come home.

@asiaone It was a second day of reunions at Changi Airport Terminal 3 as the second of two repatriation flights arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs returned home safely. There were 167 Singaporeans and their dependents on the flight. #sgnews #Singapore #Homecoming #MiddleEast #Conflict #SingaporeAirlines #Iran #USA #Israel ♬ thoughtful piano melody(1499101) - naopapa

Third repatriation flight in the works

MFA is currently making plans to dispatch a third repatriation flight for Singaporeans and their dependents from Saudi Arabia to Singapore during the window of March 10 to 12, 2026.

Plans are also underway to provide overland transport from Doha in Qatar, Manama in Bahrain, Al Khobar and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for Singaporeans to Riyadh — one day before the confirmed flight date.  

Unlike the two repatriation flights over the weekend, the third flight, if it materialises, is expected to be operationally more challenging as Saudi Arabia is situated further inland.

The kingdom also hosts a significant United States military presence.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly told Tehran that continued attacks on the kingdom and its energy sector could push Riyadh to respond in kind.

Additional reporting by Jasper Lim and Jason Loong 

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editor@asiaone.com