The first Swedish government-chartered flight to evacuate stranded citizens from Dubai has taken off from Al Maktoum International Airport, according to reports from March 7, 2026. The flight, organized by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD), departed with 176 passengers despite initial plans for 180 seats, leaving some ticket holders behind.
Passenger Benjamin, traveling with his family, described significant confusion at the airport. "We Swedes got a delay and a lot of confusion," he told Aftonbladet. He reported that airport staff appeared uncertain about how to handle the Swedish-chartered aircraft and that Swedish representatives at the airport couldn't answer questions about the delay.
We Swedes got a delay and a lot of confusion
The flight, which took off at approximately 17:30 local time according to Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, will make a refueling stop in Hurghada, Egypt before continuing to Sweden. Passengers are required to cover the costs of their evacuation, with tickets priced at 9,000 SEK for children and 12,000 SEK for adults.
The evacuation effort targeted families with children under five and individuals with special medical needs who had registered on the Swedish list. The operation comes amid regional tensions that have disrupted commercial air travel from the area.