Almost Entire Persian Gulf Region Currently Blocked

Despite the challenges with air travel to Middle Eastern countries, a flight departed from Dubai on March 3rd carrying passengers with tickets issued for February 28th. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 with 189 seats.

On March 4th and 5th, regular Minsk-Dubai flights have been canceled. Instead, evacuation flights are planned: an aircraft, presumably an Airbus with 281 seats, will fly overnight from Minsk without passengers and will arrive near Dubai in the evening of March 4th. There will be no additional charges for tickets despite the rerouting and increased travel time.

Meanwhile, it has recently been reported that explosions are once again heard over Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Against this backdrop, planes traveling to the UAE have altered their routes and are now circling in the sky.

Belavia, celebrating its 30th anniversary, has experienced many events over the years and has learned to operate in various situations—including this current crisis in the Persian Gulf, where many Belarusian tourists are located. This presents another challenge for the national airline. The company’s CEO, Igor Cherginets, shared the current situation.

“This is yet another challenge, a difficult situation,” he emphasized.

Cherginets noted that the crisis is not limited to one or two countries but affects the entire popular tourist region. It impacts all passenger categories: tourists, business travelers, and transit passengers.

Today, almost the entire region is blocked. “We are working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our embassies. Today is the first flight that will bring our tourists and passengers from Dubai to Minsk. I hope there will be another flight tomorrow. But I cannot say that the situation is stabilizing,” concluded Cherginets.