Second Direct Flight from Middle East to Dublin Announced for Thursday
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has confirmed that a second direct flight from the Middle East to Dublin is scheduled to operate on Thursday. This announcement comes as the Irish Government intensifies efforts to repatriate citizens affected by widespread airspace closures in the region, sparked by the ongoing conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel.
Constant Engagement with Airlines
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ms McEntee emphasised her "constant engagement with the airlines to see how many direct flights we can get to Dublin." She highlighted that commercial flights remain the quickest route home for most Irish citizens in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The first flight from Dubai since the outbreak of disruptions is due to land at Dublin Airport on Wednesday night, carrying more than 400 passengers. Ms McEntee noted that while she expects a "huge proportion" of those on Thursday's flight to be Irish citizens, some non-Irish passengers may also be on board, similar to how Irish citizens have utilised flights to London and other European hubs for transit.
Chartered Flight and Passenger Support
In addition to commercial options, the Irish Government has arranged a chartered flight from Oman, neighbouring the UAE, for later this week. This flight is expected to transport over 300 people, with children flying free and complimentary bus transport to Muscat in Oman provided. Ms McEntee assured that passengers will face a "substantially reduced charge" compared to the full flight cost, and support will be extended to those in significant financial difficulty.
Authorities are proactively contacting all individuals scheduled for this flight, prioritising the most vulnerable. The minister encouraged anyone in the region seeking to return home to register with her department, clarifying that this serves as an alert rather than a guaranteed booking.
Impact of Airspace Closures
The conflict has led to major flight disruptions across the Middle East, with an estimated 22,000 to 23,000 Irish citizens currently in the region. Airlines are managing their passenger lists directly, focusing on assisting those caught in transit or on holiday. Ms McEntee stressed that no country has access to these commercial flight lists, as they are confidential customer data held by the airlines.
In a positive development, Dublin Airport marked the departure of flight EK162 to the emirate at 1.30pm on Wednesday, the first such departure from Ireland since Saturday, describing it as "a very welcome sight" in a social media post.
