Irish Government’s chartered flight from Oman delayed until Saturday – minister

The chartered flight to bring stranded, vulnerable Irish citizens home from the Middle East is delayed until Saturday, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said.

Because of the “highly challenging operational context”, the flight will leave Oman on Saturday afternoon rather than on Friday.

Two Emirates flights have taken hundreds of Irish citizens from Dubai to Dublin this week, with a third scheduled to arrive in the Irish capital on Friday night.

The Irish Government’s chartered flight, which reportedly costs 800 euro a seat, will transport 300 people who are vulnerable, such as children and people with medical needs.

Ms McEntee said “intensive” efforts to bring Irish citizens in the Middle East home were continuing.

She also welcomed the gradual return to commercial air travel and urged people to use those options when available.

“Several hundred calls were made directly to citizens in the last number of days to confirm arrangements for our assisted departure flight from Oman,” she said in a statement on Friday.

“Passengers for this flight travelled to Oman this morning supported by our embassy teams on the ground.

“Due to the highly challenging operational context for aviation in the region, the departure planned for this evening is now due to depart for Dublin on Saturday afternoon.

“The overnight hotel costs for the passengers in Oman will be met by the department.

“I am aware that there are citizens in other countries across the region, including Qatar and Kuwait, who wish to leave.

“We are in direct contact with many of these citizens to explain what options may become available.

“I am also aware that some citizens have been stranded in other parts of the world due to flight cancellations in the Gulf.

“We would encourage these citizens to make direct contact with their airlines or travel agents with regard to identifying alternative routes and to make contact with our Consular Crisis Centre where our staff can assist in emergency circumstances.”

Emirates said on Friday it will operate a reduced flight schedule, but expects a return to “100% of its network within the coming days”.

“Safety, as ever, remains paramount as is our duty of care,” it said, adding that 30,000 people had been flown out of Dubai.

The Irish Government said that it expects “further direct commercial options” in the coming days.

Other Irish people have managed to get indirect flights to Ireland from Abu Dhabi or Dubai through London or Paris.

There are about 24,000 Irish citizens across the region who have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

An estimated 14,000 Irish people are living in Dubai, a further 2,000 in Abu Dhabi and more than 2,000 in both Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The consular crisis team has responded to more than 2,300 queries since Saturday.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Neale Richmond, said on Thursday that many Irish citizens who are permanently resident in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and elsewhere have “no desire” to travel back to Ireland.

Most chartered flights from European governments are departing from Muscat in Oman.

“We saw the first flight from Italy land last night (Wednesday night) and a flight from Germany the day before,” Mr Richmond told the Dail on Thursday.

“The British authorities have also started flights. We are working in concert with European partners.”