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Fashion designer and television personality Ivana Sert has been trying to return to Türkiye after a missile strike targeting Dubai disrupted flights and left thousands of travelers struggling to leave the city.
Sert, who traveled to Dubai with her son Kayon Ates on Feb. 21, had originally planned to fly back to Istanbul on Feb. 27. However, the situation changed dramatically when Iran launched a missile toward Dubai amid escalating tensions following the war declared against Iran by Israel and the United States, preventing them from leaving the country as planned.
As the security situation triggered disruptions in air travel, Sert began searching for alternative routes back to Türkiye. She explained that flights between Istanbul and Dubai operated by Turkish Airlines had not yet resumed, making it difficult to secure a direct return.
In her remarks, Sert said she had purchased a ticket with Emirates for Thursday, but the flight was canceled at the last moment. With options narrowing, she started to look into routes through Europe as a possible way out of the United Arab Emirates.
The situation appears to be affecting a large number of passengers. According to Sert, around 300,000 people are currently waiting for tickets, highlighting the scale of the disruption at airports and booking systems.
With direct flights unavailable, Sert said she is considering traveling to another country first and then continuing her journey to Türkiye.
“One possibility is that we may go to Oman,” she noted, explaining that she and her son are trying to evaluate every available option in order to return home.
During this period, she also emphasized the support they have received from other Turkish citizens in Dubai. Sert said Turkish acquaintances in the city have been helping them navigate the situation, adding that solidarity among Turks abroad has made the situation more manageable.
Ivana Sert is a Serbian-Turkish television personality, fashion designer and entrepreneur who has become a well-known figure in Türkiye’s entertainment and fashion scene. Born Ivana Smiljkovic on Oct. 25, 1979, in Zajecar, Serbia, she first gained recognition after being crowned Miss Belgrade in 1999 and later competing in international beauty pageants. She moved to Istanbul in 2002, where she built a career spanning television, modeling and fashion.
Sert rose to wider public attention as a judge on the popular Turkish fashion competition show Bugun Ne Giysem? (What Should I Wear Today?) and later appeared on Iste Benim Stilim, another widely watched style program. Beyond television, she founded her own fashion brand and has worked as a presenter, author and businesswoman, becoming a familiar name in Türkiye’s media and high society.
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