For Sunaira Sohail, a public relations professional living in Dubai, a long-awaited solo trip to Bangkok transformed into a terrifying nightmare when she became stranded at Riyadh airport during a Houthi missile strike. While waiting to finalize her boarding pass, a massive explosion rocked the terminal, throwing passengers off balance and filling the area with thick smoke. In the ensuing chaos, alarms blared without any clear guidance from staff, and communication was severed as phone networks and Wi-Fi went dark, leaving travelers stranded in a state of panic and isolation for 26 hours.

The ordeal was compounded by a lack of support from the airline, as passengers were left without food, water, or proper accommodation. After an exhausting cycle of flight delays and being forced to deboard after hours on a plane, Sohail and other stranded travelers were left to fend for themselves in a city where hotels were fully booked. Eventually, she secured an urgent visa and embarked on a grueling overnight bus journey to the UAE. Even on the road to safety, the trauma followed her, as she witnessed yet another aerial interception before finally returning home, still waiting for her lost luggage and answers regarding the incident.