UK property investor flees Dubai on £150K jet after debris from Iranian drone fell on Villa

WorldBusiness & Finance
6 Mar 2026 • 3:24 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • British property investor Samuel Leeds paid £150,000 to charter a private jet from Dubai to England after debris from an Iranian drone fell on his villa.
  • Leeds stated he did not leave due to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict but for a business networking event, and plans to return to the UAE within two weeks.
  • The incident highlights a significant surge in demand for private jets from Dubai, with prices for a 12-14 seat jet to Europe now exceeding €200,000 (£174,000).
  • Over 20,000 flights to or from the Middle East have been cancelled since Saturday, leaving thousands of travellers stranded in Dubai.
  • Many stranded passengers are now using the land border with Oman as an alternative escape route, travelling to Muscat to catch more affordable flights to European destinations.

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