As the military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran intensifies, tens of thousands of travellers are desperately seeking flights out of the Middle East.
With the majority of the region’s airspace currently closed, wealthy individuals are increasingly resorting to expensive private charters to escape the escalating crisis, reports Al Jazeera.
Only a handful of regional hubs – including Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Muscat in Oman – remain open for a limited number of departing flights. A large-cabin business jet from the Gulf to Europe now costs between $120,000 and $200,000.
Flight cancellations and growing panic
Data from the analytics firm Cirium reveals that more than 23,000 flights have been scrapped since the US and Israel launched strikes on Saturday. The resulting chaos has triggered widespread anxiety among those stuck in transit.
Kirti Arora, 37, who is currently stranded in Doha while travelling from New Delhi to Madrid, noted that many are now “desperate to leave”. She added that travellers are fearful of planning their own overland routes due to border stress and the unpredictability of explosions.
While dozens of nations, including the UK, US, France, and Germany, have initiated chartered repatriation flights, these operations face immense logistical hurdles due to the near-total shutdown of commercial aviation in the area.
The US Department of State announced on Thursday that it would increase its charter flight capacity following criticism over the Trump administration’s initial assistance levels. To date, approximately 20,000 Americans have successfully returned home.
Meanwhile, French authorities are coordinating the return of 5,000 citizens, though safety risks remain high; an Air France charter was forced to return to the UAE on Thursday following reports of missile fire near Dubai.
The UK Foreign Office stated that over 138,000 British nationals, mostly situated in the UAE, have requested assistance, though the majority are not expected to undergo full evacuation.
One of the three British-organised charters arrived in London on Friday from Muscat after a delay of nearly 24 hours. Additionally, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand indicated that charters for roughly 2,000 Canadians are expected to leave the UAE within the next 72 hours.
Exorbitant costs, private charters
Stranded travellers have hit out at the “astronomical” costs of the few remaining travel options.
Dilini Reynold, a British-Canadian national in Dubai, reported that weekend tickets on Emirates were being priced at £4,000 ($5,348) for a one-way trip, while tickets from Oman to London have become “ridiculously expensive.”
This surge in demand has led to a boom for private jet brokers. Adam Steiger, president of Air Charter Advisors, reported a tenfold spike in enquiries from residents and corporations.
Altay Kula, sales and market director at JET-VIP, told Al Jazeera that a large-cabin business jet from the Gulf to Europe now costs between $120,000 and $200,000.
Muhammad Umar Malik, manager of Prime Jet Services, explained that while interest is high, the extreme costs mean many cannot afford to book. He also observed a decline in usual local business as the region observes the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Alexander Graham, director of Luxe Jets, described the current market as “first-come, first-served,” with bookings held for a maximum of only two hours.
