South Korea’s national airline has extended the suspension of its flights between Incheon and Dubai. The airline announced that this suspension will remain in effect until April 19. The flights affected include KE951 and KE952, which operate between South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
The service has been suspended since February 28. Sources said that Korean Air was planning to resume flights from March 28. However, the airline decided to extend the suspension due to continued security risks. Now the company has decided they will review the condition before restarting the route.
Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan are cooperating to help their citizens leave conflict zones. 11 Korean citizens and one foreign family member left Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on a chartered Japanese flight, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea.
The evacuation flight landed in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon. A similar effort took place during the Hamas attacks in Israel in October 2023. At that time, South Korea evacuated 163 Koreans and 45 Japanese nationals using military aircraft.
The South Korean government is also helping citizens from other countries in the region leave. Authorities are planning to send another government response team to Saudi Arabia to assist with evacuation operations.
On Wednesday, 29 Koreans and a foreign family member arrived in Saudi Arabia from Kuwait by land. In addition, 25 Koreans crossed into Saudi Arabia from Iraq over the past two days. 300 Korean nationals departed Doha, Qatar, and arrived safely in Incheon on a special flight earlier this week.
Due to the ongoing conflict, air travel across the Middle East has been heavily disrupted. Major airports in the UAE, Qatar and nearby countries are facing flight cancellations and delays. Thousands of Korean travelers have been stranded in the region.
Qatar’s airspace remains only partially open currently. A limited number of emergency flights to Europe are operating. South Korea has asked the Qatari government and airlines to help restart flights so that its citizens can return home safely.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and will take further action if required. The escalating conflict in the Middle East is affecting both travel and the safety of foreign nationals. Meanwhile, Korean Air has extended its Dubai flight suspension as a precaution. On the other hand, the South Korean government continues evacuation efforts.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and will take further action if required. The escalating conflict in the Middle East is affecting both travel and the safety of foreign nationals. Officials are also coordinating with regional governments to ensure safe travel routes and a faster return of stranded citizens.