Indian Entrepreneur Varun Krishnan Drives Across Desert From Doha To Saudi Arabia After Airspace Closures
Key Takeaways
- Varun Krishnan, an Indian entrepreneur, was stranded in Doha due to Middle East airspace closures
- He abandoned waiting for flights and drove across the desert into Saudi Arabia
- Krishnan caught onward flights from Saudi Arabia and returned home after the improvised journey
Krishnan's journey summary
Varun Krishnan, an Indian technology entrepreneur stranded in Doha after regional airspace closures, abandoned waiting for flights and made an improvised overland-and-air journey that took more than two days before he reached India.
“An Indian technology entrepreneur stranded in Qatar during the recent Middle East airspace closures has finally made it home after an improvised journey by road and air that took more than two days”
Associated Press News reported that Krishnan “finally made it home after an improvised journey by road and air that took more than two days,” and described how he “abandoned plans to wait for flights to resume in Doha and instead crossed the desert into Saudi Arabia before catching onward flights back to India.”
The Times of India documented the abrupt travel disruption, noting that “Airlines began suspending flights, diverting routes and cancelling schedules” as major transit hubs faced “large-scale disruptions.”
Route and logistics
Krishnan’s improvised plan involved leaving Doha by road, driving across remote desert highways, crossing the Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, and reaching Riyadh to catch onward flights.
The Times of India described his decision: “Krishnan decided not to wait. Instead of remaining in Qatar hoping for flights to restart, he chose an unusual route to drive across the desert from Qatar to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia,” and explained that “the plan involved leaving Doha by road, crossing the Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, reaching Riyadh airport and attempting to continue his international journey from there.”
Associated Press News likewise noted he “crossed the desert into Saudi Arabia before catching onward flights back to India,” highlighting that travellers chose arduous overland alternatives when air links collapsed.
Regional travel collapse
The individual story of Krishnan reflects a far broader travel breakdown across the region: tens of thousands of passengers were stranded as airlines cancelled thousands of flights and major hubs like Doha and Dubai experienced severe disruption.
“An Indian technology entrepreneur stranded in Qatar during the recent Middle East airspace closures has finally made it home after an improvised journey by road and air that took more than two days”
The Times of India reported that “tens of thousands of passengers were left stranded as airlines cancelled thousands of flights, one of the largest travel disruptions since the Covid-19 pandemic,” and that “across the region, thousands of travellers, tourists, expatriate workers and transit passengers, have been caught in similar situations as the conflict escalated.”
Associated Press News framed Krishnan’s case as part of that larger pattern of travelers forced into improvised solutions when hostilities interrupted aviation networks.
Impact on Indians
Indian nationals were among the worst affected by the closures because the Gulf functions as a crucial transit and employment hub, leaving many to seek embassy help or self-directed escapes.
The Times of India explicitly noted, “Indian nationals have been particularly affected by the crisis due to the large number of Indian workers and tourists in Gulf countries,” and reported that “over 500 Indians were stuck in Qatar during the crisis, prompting diplomatic efforts and special flights to bring them home.”
Associated Press News emphasized Krishnan’s status as an Indian entrepreneur who managed to return after improvising across borders, underscoring how both official and personal measures were necessary to evacuate stranded citizens.
Alternative escape routes
Faced with overwhelmed airports and sold-out tickets, many travellers resorted to long road journeys, emergency visas, or multi-leg transits across several countries; Krishnan’s 48-hour-plus journey mirrors other extreme examples reported during the same period.
“An Indian technology entrepreneur stranded in Qatar during the recent Middle East airspace closures has finally made it home after an improvised journey by road and air that took more than two days”
The Times of India observed that “with airports overwhelmed and tickets selling out quickly, many travellers have resorted to alternative routes, including long road journeys, emergency visas or transit through multiple countries,” and recounted other notable cases such as an American doctor who travelled “across multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Italy, in a 62-hour journey across four continents.”
Associated Press News corroborated the improvised multi-modal nature of Krishnan’s trip, noting he “crossed the desert into Saudi Arabia before catching onward flights back to India.”
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