Foreign Minister Penny Wong has warned that there are limits to what the Australian government can do to assist the estimated 115,000 Australians currently in the Middle East, as major airlines cancel flights amid escalating conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran.
Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways have suspended operations, grounding flights through key hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. The cancellations have left many travellers stranded, including ABC producer Lisa Needham, who has been stuck in Dubai for nearly 30 hours en route to the UK. She reported hearing missiles intercepted overhead and described a sense of resignation among passengers.
Wong stated that the government's priority is safety, but noted the difficulty of providing assistance when airspace is closed. She declined to commit to repatriation flights, saying the fastest solution would be the resumption of commercial services. 'First we need to see if commercial flights will restart,' she told ABC News Breakfast.
Smartraveller has updated its travel advice, urging Australians to avoid travel to several Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the UAE, and Yemen. Reconsideration is advised for Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
Qantas flights remain unaffected as the airline does not operate through Middle Eastern airports, while Virgin Australia, a partner of Qatar Airways, has advised passengers to monitor flight information closely. The Australian embassy in the UAE has urged citizens to shelter in place and follow local authorities' instructions.
