Ireland charters Oman flight to repatriate citizens as airlines add Dubai–Dublin services amid Middle East airspace shutdown
Ireland will repatriate up to 280 citizens stranded across the Middle East on a government-chartered flight from Oman in the coming days, as commercial carriers add limited services and thousands of travelers race to leave the region following days of US-Israeli strikes on Iran that have effectively shut down much of the region’s airspace.
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Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee called the Oman charter a “positive development” and said her department is “in close touch with the airline.” Officials are prioritizing citizens deemed most vulnerable or in urgent need and are contacting them directly.
Separately, Emirates has reinstated some links between the United Arab Emirates and Ireland. About 400 passengers were expected to travel on a Dubai-to-Dublin service later today. Emirates also scheduled a Dubai-to-Dublin flight for tomorrow at 2:35 p.m. local time. From Dublin, an Emirates flight to Dubai was due to depart at 1:10 p.m., carrying 80 passengers who are residents of Dubai.
The steps come amid widespread cancellations and diversions across the Middle East after five days of strikes that have disrupted civilian aviation and left tens of thousands seeking routes home. Irish officials say 25,000 citizens in the region have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs; roughly 2,000 have requested assistance to leave.
McEntee said additional flights will follow as conditions and capacity allow. She urged Irish citizens who remain in affected areas to shelter in place, monitor official updates and take any safe, available flights as soon as they can secure a seat.
Irish officials are coordinating with partners to open corridors where possible and to secure landing slots at regional airports, including Muscat in Oman, which has served as a staging point for several repatriation efforts. The government-chartered flight is expected to consolidate Irish citizens from multiple countries where commercial options remain limited.
Airlines and European governments are also moving Britons out of the region. Emirates plans seven Dubai–UK flights today, while Etihad is operating two Abu Dhabi–UK services. Virgin Atlantic will run a Dubai–London Heathrow flight. British Airways has not resumed its usual schedule in the region but will operate an evacuation flight to Heathrow from Muscat, a destination it does not normally serve. A UK government charter from Muscat is also scheduled to depart at 7 p.m. GMT, though officials have indicated there will not be a mass evacuation for the roughly 130,000 British nationals who registered their presence in the region.
The evolving flight picture remains fluid as operators weigh security assessments, overflight permissions and crew safety. With regional airspace constrained, carriers are routing aircraft along longer detours, limiting capacity and driving demand for the few available seats.
Irish travelers seeking assistance are urged to register their details, including location and contact information, to help officials prioritize cases and coordinate communications about flights and ground movements.
Key contacts for Irish citizens:
• Citizens Registration: citizensregistration.dfa.ie
• Department of Foreign Affairs Crisis Team: +353 1 408 2000
Officials cautioned that seats on both chartered and commercial services will be finite and subject to rapid change. Travelers should be prepared to move quickly when contacted by airlines or consular staff and should keep documents, medication and essential supplies ready.
Additional reporting by Mícheál Lehane and PA.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
