4 Continents in 62 Hours: How One American Got Out of Qatar

Dr. Jay Miller’s family vacation to India took an unexpected turn on Feb. 28 when his Qatar Airways flight to Dallas made a U-turn about an hour after taking off from Doha. Israel and the United States had attacked Iran, which was launching rockets and drones in retaliation, and countries across the Middle East, including Qatar, closed their airspace and canceled flights, stranding tens of thousands of travelers.

Back on the ground in Doha, explosions shook his hotel room’s windows and he found himself telling his spouse he loved them. Miller, who had left India a week earlier than his wife and 5-year-old daughter, spent five nights alone in Doha, cautiously exploring while some hotel guests sheltered in the lobby.

Attempts to reach the State Department and local officials yielded no help, and after the government advised Americans not to rely on evacuations, he decided to leave on his own. He and his wife searched for any flight out; with Doha’s airport closed he eyed jets leaving from Riyadh, a roughly nine-hour drive away.

Qatar, Doha

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