Coronavirus: How Etihad brought my parents home to Abu Dhabi on a ‘private jet’ after four months abroad – The National

Coronavirus: How Etihad brought my parents home to Abu Dhabi on a ‘private jet’ after four months abroad – The National

Our family was reunited after my parents were caught up in France when borders closed

















Rula Jarallah stands amid empty economy seats on-board an Etihad flight from Geneva to Abu Dhabi on Saturday. She and her husband, Sa-ed, were the only passengers on the plane. Courtesy: Sa-ed Jarallah







My parents have been fortunate to spend decades travelling. In their lifetimes, they have witnessed the rise of airlines in the Middle East and flown on Concorde. But never had they boarded a commercial flight where the staff outnumbered the passengers.



My mum and dad, Rula and Sa-ed Jarallah, returned to the UAE - their home of 20 years - late on Saturday night after more than four months away.



They were in Messery, France, when the UAE closed its borders in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19.



They had intended to stay at their holiday home until April but quickly rebooked their flight from Geneva, the nearest airport, after the virus went from an epidemic to a pandemic.









Despite the initial stress, we knew we were fortunate to be safe and that my parents were lucky