MFA: Fifth Repatriation Flight from Oman Can't Take Place Due to Delayed Flights

Bratislava, 5 March (TASR) - The fifth repatriation flight, which was supposed to carry additional Slovak nationals from Muscat in Oman to Slovakia on Thursday, cannot take place, the Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry has informed TASR. The reason is the limited aircraft handling capacity at Muscat airport, as a result of which the Omani authorities announced on Thursday morning that no new aircraft can be accepted until further notice and that the number of permitted flights has been reduced significantly. "The restriction was caused by delayed flights and aircraft waiting for passengers who have been stranded at the border between Oman and the United Arab Emirates, where queues lasting several hours have formed," explained the ministry. The ministry said that it's actively communicating with the respective authorities and doing its utmost to obtain permission from the Omani side for the repatriation aircraft to land and be processed as soon as possible. "Slovak citizens who should have been repatriated on this flight have already been informed of the situation, and we'll let them know immediately if permission is granted by the Omani authorities. In light of this new situation, we recommend that Slovak nationals, if they have the opportunity to use a commercial flight operated by an airline whose aircraft is already in Oman, should make use of this alternative," added the ministry. The ministry stated that Slovakia continues to work intensively to organise nine more repatriation flights, which are currently at the stage of preparation in terms of passenger allocation and securing the necessary diplomatic clearances. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the flights are being affected significantly by the current security situation and the capacity of transit countries. "Evacuations are currently being carried out mainly via Oman and Jordan, with subsequent flights to Europe via Egypt. These are corridors used by several countries, which has resulted in an increased administrative and logistics burden," said the ministry. When planning the flights, the ministry focuses on countries located in the conflict zone, and the priority in the evacuation process continues to be the most vulnerable groups – mothers with children, minors and people with health problems. The Foreign Affairs Ministry, along with the Defence and Interior Ministries, has carried out four repatriation flights so far – three from Amman and Aqaba in Jordan, and one from Muscat in Oman – evacuating 164 Slovak citizens and 59 citizens of other nationalities to safety in Slovakia. ko/df