Starting Friday, Belgium will commence the repatriation of nationals and their dependents stranded in the Gulf region. Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Francophone centrist Les Engagés) and defence minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist N-VA) confirmed the operation following this morning’s meeting of the national security council.
Foreign News
Belgian military to bring home stranded nationals at 600 euros a go starting Friday
Colin Clapson
Published:
A first flight will depart from the Omani capital Muscat on Friday, bound for Hurghada, Egypt. There, the crew will be replaced, after which the aircraft will set course for Brussels. The operation is intended for stranded tourists and business people.
There are no plans to evacuate nationals from the region for the time being. ‘That will not be necessary,’ says Francken. He says he hopes this will remain the case.
The defence ministry will operate the flights between the Middle East and Belgium
Belgians who are to be repatriated will be taken by bus to Muscat, the capital of Oman, and then flown to Belgium on Belgian defence ministry aircraft. There is a stop in Egypt, but this is only to refuel and change the crew. Passengers will remain on board.
The flights will be carried out by military Airbus aircraft, not cargo planes. Stranded travellers will be given priority. Belgian expats are not expected on these repatriation flights.
The defence ministry plans three air bridges per day, but it is not yet clear whether this will be possible. Tourists and businesspeople who board a repatriation flight will receive a bill for 600 euros per person. This the government has described as a ‘reasonable’ price.
Previously, the foreign ministry had been eager to encourage Belgians stranded in the region to book a commercial flight to a safe country of their own accord. There was no mention of direct repatriation flights to Belgium from the Middle East, but this stand was widely criticised.