Lithuanians stranded in Dubai following disruptions to air travel are now en route back to Vilnius, with a flydubai flight scheduled to arrive at Vilnius International Airport (VNO) at 4:25 AM local time on Thursday, according to the latest updates. The situation unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East, prompting the Lithuanian government to prepare for the evacuation of its citizens from the region.
The airline is directly contacting and registering passengers for the flight, and those awaiting repatriation are advised to remain patient and await communication from flydubai, the Lithuanian embassy stated. This development comes as Lithuania prepares a broader evacuation plan targeting vulnerable citizens – pregnant women, families with young children, individuals with critical illnesses, those with mobility impairments, and the elderly – currently in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. “We expect to announce details of the planned flight soon. We ask for your continued patience and understanding,” the embassy said in a statement.
The National Crisis Management Centre (NKMC) is currently clarifying whether the flydubai flight will accommodate only its own customers or also passengers holding tickets from other airlines, with updated information expected shortly. The evacuation efforts were initiated on Tuesday, responding to the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East. According to NKMC head Vilmantas Vitkauskas, the number of vulnerable Lithuanian citizens in the UAE requiring assistance has risen to 28.
Escalating Regional Tensions Prompt Evacuation Preparations
The need for evacuation plans was triggered by escalating tensions following Israel’s reported preemptive strikes against Iran on Saturday, aimed at “eliminating the threat to the State of Israel,” according to reports. The situation was further complicated by claims from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that the United States had initiated “large military actions” against Iran and demanded the surrender of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warning of “inevitable death” if they failed to comply. These actions were followed by a series of Iranian strikes that caused disruption throughout the Persian Gulf region. Iran subsequently confirmed that a senior leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes, framing the event as a declaration of war against Muslims.
Simultaneously, the flydubai flight departing from Dubai is experiencing logistical challenges due to airspace closures. Simonas Bartkus, head of Lithuanian Airports (LTOU), announced via Facebook that the aircraft has taken off for Vilnius, but will need to make a stop in Istanbul to refuel. “Because many airspaces are closed, there isn’t enough fuel for a full flight to Vilnius tonight, so it will be replenished there,” Bartkus explained. He also noted that the flight is experiencing GPS jamming, a phenomenon observed during previous crises involving airspace restrictions. A second flydubai flight from Dubai to Vilnius is scheduled for Thursday evening.
Bartkus’s Facebook post also highlighted the operational complexities of navigating the current situation, drawing parallels to lessons learned during previous airspace crises. “Aviation is a global matter, so Dubai Airport operations and communication are taking place according to VNO’s lessons learned during the balloon crisis – and planes only take off and land in one direction, and from the flightradar curves it can be seen how they are experiencing GPS jamming,” he wrote.
