A charter flight carrying Lithuanian citizens from Dubai landed at Vilnius Airport early Thursday, bringing home passengers who had already booked return tickets amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
The aircraft, operated by flydubai, touched down in the Lithuanian capital at 05:35, marking the first flight to return Lithuanian citizens since the latest escalation in the region.
In total, the charter flight brought 170 passengers to Vilnius, including 49 Lithuanian citizens, as well as travellers from Poland, Estonia, the Netherlands and other countries, according to Darius Buta, a representative of the National Crisis Management Centre, speaking to LRT RADIO.
According to the Embassy of Lithuania in the United Arab Emirates, the airline invited and registered passengers directly, sending notifications to those eligible to board the flight. The embassy said additional charter flights are planned.
Officials stressed that the charter service does not change the Lithuanian government’s preparations to evacuate vulnerable citizens from the United Arab Emirates and nearby countries.
“The state is responsible for the evacuation of our citizens from the war-affected zone,” Buta said. “Regarding this flight, which was announced yesterday with very little time before departure, it is being handled by flydubai and its partners. According to information provided to Lithuanian institutions yesterday, the company itself is gathering passengers and inviting them to the flight.”
He added that some passengers purchased tickets independently. Lithuanian authorities plan to contact the airline to clarify procedures so that citizens in the conflict-affected region can access such flights more quickly.
Buta said several commercial flights are planned in the near future but cautioned that the situation remains fluid.
“Planning is one thing, how dynamically the situation develops is another,” he said. “According to today’s data, these flights are foreseen – certainly more than one. Once we have more precise information on how to get on the flight and who can board it, we will first inform our citizens in Dubai and the UAE, and of course the public.”
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of said it had already scheduled a separate evacuation flight from the United Arab Emirates. The exact departure time has not yet been announced but is expected in the coming days.
The National Crisis Management Centre is preparing evacuation plans, while the Foreign Ministry is contacting citizens who have requested assistance and providing consular support.
Priority during the evacuation will be given to the most vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, pregnant women, families with young children, unaccompanied minors and those who are ill.
Citizens who have already registered for assistance do not need to take further action, as the Foreign Ministry will contact them directly. Lithuanians who have not yet registered but need help leaving the United Arab Emirates or the broader region are asked to complete a registration form.
Authorities estimate that around 2,000 Lithuanian citizens are currently in the region, including more than 1,000 in the United Arab Emirates.
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