As Emirates flight EK10 from London cruised over Saudi Arabia on Monday, news broke of a drone strike at its destination, Dubai. The aircraft turned back to Gatwick, flight data shows, completing a 9,100-kilometre round trip — one of dozens of “flights to nowhere” triggered by the Middle East war, Reuters reports.

Roughly 30 Emirates flights heading to Dubai International Airport were also ordered back or rerouted after Iranian drone attacks temporarily shut what is normally the world’s busiest airport for international passengers.

Passengers expecting a dawn landing in the glitzy port city were stunned.

“Was supposed to wake up on approach to Dubai,” said one social media user posting a map of his flight, EK164, turning around near Cairo and heading back to Dublin.

The surprise U-turns — quickly dubbed “flights to nowhere” on social media have become one of the most visible quirks of flying since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran began on February 28, joining soaring fuel costs, stranded travellers and rewritten routes on the list of challenges facing airlines.

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