Many of us cringe at the thought of being airlines/two-hundred-passengers-stranded-for-two-days-in-airports.html” target=”_self” rel=”nofollow”>stuck in an airport overnight but imagine if you were stuck in an airport for seven months.
That was the case for Hassan al-Kontar.
Syrian national Hassan al-Kontar, 37, was stuck in Terminal 2 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for seven months as he waited for asylum, according to the Washington Post.
For the last seven months, Kontar has shared video diaries of his stay in the Malaysian airport on Twitter, which included sleeping under stairwells, cutting his hair in bathrooms, and living off leftover chicken-and-rice-dinners from AirAsia flights.
At least I know that I tried.I could not do it. it’s ok I like long Curly hair anyway #syrian_stuck_at_airport #mystory_hassan pic.twitter.com/yeyBodJR59
— Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) August 21, 2018
How did Kontar get to the point of being stranded in the airport for over half a year?
Kontar left Syria for the UAE in 2006 to avoid mandatory military service, but in 2011 when civil war broke out in Syria, his government refused to renew his passport. Kontar didn’t want to return to Syria in fear of being forced to join the military or thrown in jail.
He told the BBC: “I’m not a killing machine and I don’t want any part in destroying Syria. I don’t want blood on my hands.”
His passport expired and work permit became invalid in the UAE, so he worked off the books for a few years before being arrested and made to leave the country. Kontar flew to Malaysia where he was granted a three-month tourist visa. During that time, he worked and saved money to book a ticket to Ecuador.
Upon arriving for his flight in February, Kontar was turned away at the gate for unknown reasons. He flew to Cambodia but was denied entry to the country. He then returned to Malaysia and was once again denied entry for overstaying his visa.
That’s when the airport became his home for seven months.
His experiences during those seven months were documented on Twitter in an almost humorous way. He tended a garden – a single potted plant – and walked a stuffed animal on a leash. Kontar worked out on the moving walkways like a treadmill despite rapidly losing weight and danced to Drake’s “In My Feelings” on top of a baggage cart.
Although I keep losing weight, I wanted to try my new treadmill and doing some heavy exercises, trying to make use of available resources#syrian_stuck_at_airport #mystory_hassan pic.twitter.com/u4wLtFywVo
— Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) August 7, 2018
He even emailed NASA to join the next mission to Mars writing: “It’s very clear by now that there is no place for me on this earth as no country is allowing me in.”
Kontar sought out small joys, like breathing fresh air when a janitor propped open a door leading out to the tarmac. It had been 122 days since he’d been outside.
Taking care of my Garden is one of my daily habits, music and coffee too. both of us can use a little sunshine to our life#syrian_stuck_at_airport #mystory_hassan pic.twitter.com/noEfLgk2AB
— Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) August 8, 2018
His videos were widely followed, and it was because of them that Laurie Cooper, a stranger in Canada petitioned Canada’s immigration minister with the help of friends to admit Kontar as a refugee. Through a crowdfunding campaign, they raised enough money to privately sponsor him, according to the Guardian.
Keke challenge airport style. Yes its really dangerous I almost got hit by a PLANE.
The only sure thing that if I am going to impress someone in the future I should never dance in front of her… NEVER
#KekeChallenge #airport_is_my_home#syrian_stuck_at_airport pic.twitter.com/KHa2KoNNi0— Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) August 1, 2018
In October, Kontar was arrested for being in a restricted area of the airport without a boarding pass. Cooper urged Canadian officials to speed up their resettlement process in fear that Kontar would be deported to Syria.
On Sunday, November 25th, Kontar texted Cooper that he was on his way to Canada. He arrived in Vancouver on Monday night.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Kontar said he is done with airports.
He said: “I’ve done my time in airports, no more airports.”
“I’d rather use a horse if there’s no car.”
After seven months, who can blame him?
