KLM Launches Emergency Flight to Rescue Stranded Dutch Citizens
KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij – Royal Dutch Airlines) will operate its first repatriëringsvlucht (repatriation flight) on Tuesday evening to bring 83 Dutch nationals back from the Middle East, where many remain stranded due to regional conflict.
Minister of Foreign Affairs توم بيريندسن informed the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) that the flight is being organized urgently because commercial travel options have become unreliable. For security reasons, the government did not disclose the departure country, although sources suggested the aircraft is flying from Oman.
According to the minister, preparations are underway for additional repatriation flights, alongside the limited commercial services still operating. He urged stranded Dutch citizens not to travel randomly in hopes of finding a flight, stressing that safety and organized evacuation remain the top priorities.
Travelers were advised to contact the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) or their nearest Dutch embassy for assistance. While some commercial flights have departed the region, authorities believe these will handle only a portion of those seeking to return, as the conflict’s duration remains uncertain.
Dutch travel agencies such as Prijsvrij Vakanties and D-Reizen said their clients are mostly stranded in Dubai, where they are still able to stay in hotels. Airlines including Etihad and Emirates are operating a small number of flights from the Verenigde Arabische Emiraten (United Arab Emirates), mainly for transit passengers and people with urgent medical needs, leaving many Dutch travelers still waiting for a safe route home.