Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, addresses the press;
Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu
On Thursday 5 March 2026, Luxembourg's Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade confirmed that two repatriation flights were bringing travellers back to the Grand Duchy.
The first repatriation flight, operated by Luxair in close coordination with the Luxembourg government, departed from Muscat Airport in Oman. This flight is carrying 104 passengers, including seven infants under the age of two.
In accordance with regulatory requirements regarding flight crew rest periods, a technical stopover in Hurghada, Egypt, is mandatory. The Luxair flight is scheduled to arrive in Luxembourg on Thursday afternoon.
A second direct flight, chartered by the Luxembourg government, also departed Muscat and is expected to arrive in Luxembourg at approximately 13:30 on Thursday. It is carrying 97 passengers.
In close coordination with its international partners, particularly Belgium, Luxembourg's Directorate of Defence has identified several additional options for repatriation by military air.
A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft is currently positioned in Hurghada and is expected to fly to Muscat to repatriate passengers.
Luxair has also positioned a second non-commercial flight in Hurghada, which is expected to travel to Muscat later on Thursday.
Flight coordination is continuing in a joint effort between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Mobility, the Directorate of Defence and all relevant stakeholders, including Luxair, to ensure the repatriation of all Luxembourg travellers.
The Luxembourg government has defined the priority order applied to repatriation operations based on objective criteria, which has been communicated to the passengers concerned. Priority categories include, in particular, families with children and individuals with duly certified medical conditions. The number of passengers on each flight depends on several factors, such as ground transportation by bus to Muscat and the operational constraints specific to Muscat Airport.
The ministries stressed that the safety of Luxembourg nationals remains the authorities' top priority under all circumstances. Repatriation arrangements will be continuously adjusted, based on the evolving situation and identified risks, in close coordination with the Luxembourg diplomatic mission in the country, partners in the aviation sector and local authorities responsible for airspace management.
Speaking to the press on Thursday morning before departing for Madrid, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, provided additional details on the ongoing operation. He confirmed that the Luxair-operated repatriation flight carrying 104 people was currently in Egypt. Another chartered flight, organised on Wednesday evening, was transporting around 125 passengers and was expected to arrive on Thursday morning.
According to Minister Bettel, around 132 Luxembourgers are currently staying in hotels in Muscat, while others are travelling from Dubai to Oman to catch the repatriation flights. He noted that the situation at border crossings and airports in the region remains "chaotic", with some travellers encountering administrative difficulties and additional fees while crossing into Oman.
Minister Bettel added that Luxembourg's authorities and representatives on the ground were working closely with partners to facilitate procedures and organise accommodation and further flights. He emphasised that people's safety was the priority, adding that officials have been working around the clock to coordinate the emergency response.
