I personally have had problems using VoIP apps in Dubai, unless in conjunction with VPN, and the OP may well not have had either available. But it’s been more than a year since I’ve been there.

I also know that in unexpected travel situations I might make poor decisions with respect to spending, as I just want to sort the problem out ASAP. Sounds like OP had some urgency here as well, which I understand.

On that note, once in Egypt during the pandemic, when a travel companion had what turned out to be a false positive on a covid test, I spent about 100 dollars for a hotel car to take us to a testing location that closed moments before we got there (It was Ramadan), then back to the hotel. Then when dust settled we took Ubers there and back for about $10, and got a provisionally negative test result (a negative result but not the kind you can use to fly).

And in the end he ended up testing again in the hotel itself to get the correct documents. So with perfect hindsight, we could potentially have avoided both outings, more than $100 in transport costs, some amount of testing fees, but that isn’t what was on our minds when we had a trip to Maldives planned and paid for, which would all fall apart if covid prevented the flights.

Obviously not a compensation situation, but an example of how when things turn sideways, pear-shaped or otherwise, we make choices we later consider imprudent.