Czech authorities are continuing efforts to bring citizens home from the Middle East amid escalating regional conflict, with several repatriation flights successfully landing in Prague. The ongoing evacuations highlight the increasing concern for the safety of citizens in a volatile region.
On Friday afternoon, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Adam Čörgő clarified that passengers on a flight from Jordan did not pay for their seats, responding to initial reports suggesting a fee. Čörgő stated he was unaware of reports that passengers were asked to sign commitments to pay later.
Earlier on Friday morning, a worker at the ministry’s emergency hotline had told news outlets that passengers on the flight from Amman were asked to sign an agreement to pay 15,000 Czech koruna (approximately $650 USD) but did not have to pay immediately. The ministry characterized the flight as a regular commercial service, not a dedicated repatriation flight.
Some passengers corroborated this account, stating they were asked to sign “some kind of commitment” upon arrival, according to Czech Television.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on Wednesday assured the public that citizens would not be required to pay for repatriation flights. “No one from Smartwings has paid or will pay,” he said for Radiožurnál.
Foreign Minister Petr Macinka had previously mentioned the potential cost of 15,000 koruna. The Foreign Ministry did not respond to earlier inquiries from news outlets regarding whether the flight was free, and Macinka did not respond to a text message following a phone call.
On Friday morning, Babiš announced on X the departure of a flight to Dubai. A Smartwings Boeing 737 MAX was carrying 189 passengers, with priority given to those registered in the Drozd system – a voluntary database allowing Czech citizens abroad to provide their contact information to authorities in case of emergency – including the sick, pregnant women, and families with children.
Flight Costs Have Increased Significantly
Approximately 4,900 Czech citizens are currently registered as being in countries affected by the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, a decrease of around 500 from Thursday. The majority, nearly 2,900, remain in the United Arab Emirates. Around 900 Czechs are in Oman, with smaller numbers in Jordan, Qatar, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
Flights from the region are now significantly more expensive than before the conflict, with some routes costing several times their usual price. Similar increases are being seen on flights from Asia via Dubai or Doha.
