Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said he shared the joy of all Estonians when the first flights finally landed in Tallinn and Riga.
“By now, three planefuls of Estonian people should already be at home with their loved ones,” said Tsahkna, adding that work continues on the next flights to help those who wish to return home.
“We are planning four more special flights from Dubai, two today and two tomorrow. This evening one AirBaltic flight will depart from Dubai to Tallinn and one FlyDubai flight to Riga. Tomorrow another FlyDubai flight to Riga and a Heston flight to Tallinn will depart,” said Tsahkna, adding that no additional special flights are currently planned.
Tsahkna noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in constant contact with its European colleagues, and Estonian citizens are also being placed on special flights organised by other countries. Regular commercial flights are also gradually resuming.
“However, the situation in the UAE is very dynamic, and we are ready to adjust plans if necessary. Still, I ask everyone who wants a seat on a special flight to purchase their ticket,” Tsahkna said.
“I also urge everyone who is still in the region to follow local notifications and instructions,” Tsahkna added. “The main thing is that our people remain safe and are able to return home.”
Tsahkna added that tomorrow’s Heston flight has already sold out, and booking and purchasing tickets is currently open for today’s AirBaltic and FlyDubai special flights.
“We are organising special flights in cooperation with different travel companies, which means the ticket purchasing process may vary slightly, and travellers must follow the instructions of the travel company.”
Tsahkna emphasised that Estonian citizens and their family members with Estonian residence permits currently in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait are being assisted on an individual basis.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks those who have secured a seat on a special flight to note that flight tickets cannot be changed. The booking link may also reach people who have already returned home; in that case, please ignore the booking link.
All Estonian citizens currently in the Middle East region who have not yet registered their stay are asked to do so on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
If necessary, assistance is available by emailing [email protected] or calling the 24/7 emergency phone line +372 5301 9999.
Information is continuously updated on the web consul page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on the ministry’s website www.vm.ee.
