The Austrian Foreign Ministry has launched a large-scale evacuation operation for citizens stranded in the Gulf region due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Following the first charter flight on Wednesday, operated by Egyptian Sky Vision Airlines with 151 passengers, departing from Muscat via Cairo to Vienna, the operation will be expanded today, Thursday, March 5, 2026.
In cooperation with Austrian Airlines, two further special flights are planned to significantly increase capacity for vulnerable people. These will involve an Airbus A320neo for 165 passengers from Oman and a Boeing 777 offering 315 seats for evacuees from Saudi Arabia.
The logistics of the repatriation operation are highly complex and require close coordination between various ministries and international partners. Since direct air traffic from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar has largely ceased due to airspace closures, the Foreign Ministry is organizing supported bus convoys. These transport registered Austrians overland from the Emirates to Muscat in Oman and from Qatar to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. So far, 117 particularly vulnerable Austrians, including families with children and elderly people, have been successfully brought to safety via these transit routes and from Israel via Jordan.
At headquarters in Vienna and at the embassies on site, crisis teams from the Foreign and Defense Ministries are working around the clock to verify registrations and ensure transportation logistics. The use of an Austrian Airlines Boeing 777 underscores the urgency of the operation, as this wide-body aircraft allows for the rapid repatriation of a significant number of people. Simultaneously, cooperation with other European countries is being intensified to share available seats on allied evacuation flights. The Foreign Ministry emphasizes that the safety of Austrian citizens is the highest priority and that the emergency hotline for those affected will remain staffed around the clock.
Industry experts point out that using aircraft from the national carrier, Austrian Airlines, is a proven strategy in times of crisis to ensure operational independence from third-party providers. The flight route from Riyadh to Vienna-Schwechat is currently considered one of the safest corridors for bypassing the unstable airspace over Iraq and Iran. While the first returnees are already arriving in Vienna, the authorities are preparing further measures should the security situation necessitate extending the air bridge beyond the weekend. The costs for the special flights will be settled with the passengers in accordance with consular regulations.