Seventy-nine South Korean tourists stranded in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, were set to return home Thursday afternoon, but more than 300 others remain unable to secure flights out of the region, according to industry sources and reports.
Some of the tourists have begun returning through alternative routes. Forty travelers from a Hanatour package group departed Dubai earlier and are scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Thursday afternoon via Taipei, Taiwan. Modetour also arranged an alternative itinerary for 39 customers early Wednesday, flying them first to Taipei before connecting to a Korean Air flight to Incheon later in the evening.
Even after those arrivals, however, more than 330 Korean tourists are expected to remain in Dubai without confirmed return flights. As of Thursday, those stranded among major tour agencies include about 110 customers from Hanatour, roughly 150 from Modetour and another 70 from Yellow Balloon Tour.
A direct Emirates flight from Dubai to Incheon, scheduled to depart early Wednesday, was canceled, leaving travel agencies scrambling to secure alternative routes. Dubai International Airport is reportedly operating limited flights, mainly for aircraft belonging to Emirates and a few other carriers.
“We understand that the Foreign Ministry is working to arrange charter flights, and for now we are exploring the fastest possible options,” a Hanatour official told The Korea Herald on Thursday.
"Flights via Taiwan or Southeast Asia appear to offer the most alternatives, but the situation is changing by the hour as we search for the quickest way to bring the tourists home."
Travelers in other parts of the Middle East, including Cairo, are reportedly returning without major difficulties, according to tour agencies.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that the government is “considering sending chartered aircraft” to repatriate Korean nationals affected by the ongoing regional disruptions.
“Various options are on the table, including the use of military transport planes,” Cho said on a radio show Thursday afternoon. “At this stage, we are carefully reviewing which approach would be the fastest and most effective from a practical standpoint.”
According to the Foreign Ministry, about 20,000 South Korean nationals are currently located in more than 10 countries in the Middle East, including roughly 3,000 short-term visitors, such as tourists and business travelers.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
