A British businessman who was stranded in the UK during escalating conflict in the Middle East has said he was “desperate” to return to Dubai, insisting the emirate remains safer than London despite Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting the Gulf region. Rory McEntee, a Dubai-based gym executive, criticised the UK government for offering “zero help” as flight disruption left him stuck in Britain, even as thousands of others moved in the opposite direction.
Stranded in the UK as conflict disrupts flights
McEntee, 43, had travelled to the UK on February 25 to visit friends and was due to fly back to Dubai on March 1 when the conflict between Iran and the US and its allies escalated, triggering widespread airspace closures across the Middle East. Speaking excusively to the Daily Mail, he said he found himself unable to return home as flights were repeatedly disrupted. “I am surprised to have received no help from the UK Government. The UAE is helping all Brits that were stranded there when the conflict broke out, paying for their flights, hotels, food, and taxis. “But there was no help provided by anyone in the UK for me, as a UAE resident, which I find strange, to be honest. “I was getting zero help from the UK – as a taxpayer for 17 years I thought I would at least get some kind of support. But British Airways just offered a full refund or to book me onto the next flight.”According to the report, more than 140,000 Britons in the Middle East registered for government updates as the situation escalated, with the Foreign Office confirming that around 7,500 people had returned to the UK from the UAE since early March. McEntee described being in a “state of limbo” as flights were repeatedly rescheduled, adding: “It’s been spending days online and on the phone trying to figure out what my options are.”
‘Still safer than London’
Despite missile and drone strikes hitting parts of the UAE, McEntee said he felt safer returning to Dubai than remaining in London. The UAE confirmed it had been targeted by a ballistic missile and multiple drones as part of a wider Iranian retaliation, with strikes reported in an industrial zone in Dubai and a drone narrowly missing the Burj Khalifa.
ADDS CAUSE OF BLACK SMOKE IN THE BACKGROUND.- A plume of smoke caused by an Iranian strike is seen in the background an an Emirates plane is parked at the Dubai International Airport after its closure in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Even so, McEntee told the Daily Mail he would “rather be” in the UAE. “I think the majority of the expats would rather stay in the UAE right now than return to the UK. “Like 90 per cent of the drones have been dealt with, so there’s a feeling of safety in the UAE for me. It’s definitely somewhere I’d rather be right now than London and having to deal with petty crime on a daily basis.” During his week-long stay in Britain, he said he witnessed “constant petty crimes”, including two phone muggings in broad daylight, and described seeing “men in balaclavas whipping by you on e-bikes”. He added that a female friend had asked him to walk her home from the Tube because she felt unsafe, calling it “no way to live”.
Return to Dubai and life continuing
McEntee, who runs GymNation alongside other British expatriates in Dubai, has since returned to the emirate on what he described as a near-empty flight.Despite the regional conflict, Rory McEntee said daily life in Dubai has largely continued as normal. “It was business as usual,” the Dubai-based gym executive said, with people continuing to go to work, attend gyms, meet friends, and feel safe.He criticized sections of the UK media for exaggerating the situation. Writing on LinkedIn, McEntee said the coverage “simply doesn’t match what I’m hearing directly from my family, friends, and colleagues in Dubai.” He added that, despite some international scaremongering and reports from influencer holidaymakers, he currently feels safer in Dubai than in London.At one point, McEntee set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of another ticket while he tried to secure a return flight to Dubai, raising £660 from supporters. He later clarified that the UAE government had covered the cost, writing on LinkedIn: “Huge thank you for those who donated to the GoFundMe page, but as the UAE government picked up the tab, refunds are on the way. Thanks for all the messages of support and glad to say I’m now safe.”
Rory McEntee Linkedin post
“I moved to Dubai with my wife when we had a baby and realised the UK wasn’t the place I wanted to bring up a child,” he said. “We also moved for a better quality of life, sunshine, career opportunities – and obviously the tax breaks are a bonus, but not the main reason for moving.”
A longer-running concern about crime in London
It’s not a new position for McEntee, who has been vocal about safety concerns in the UK. Last year, GymNation launched a self-defence retreat in Dubai aimed at Londoners amid rising phone theft in the capital. The six-week programme was marketed as free, provided participants could cover their own flights and accommodation, and drew around 600 sign-ups. Explaining the idea at the time, McEntee said it came after four of his London-based friends had their phones stolen, prompting him to “offer Londoners an opportunity to escape” and “provide a fresh solution to restoring Londoners’ confidence.” He added that self-defence was about “empowerment and giving people more confidence,” as participants spoke of growing anxiety and said they no longer felt safe walking alone at night. The campaign gained traction online and was promoted across boroughs including Southwark and Hackney, tapping into wider concerns about what organisers described as a worsening “phone theft epidemic.”
