TUI to Fly Thousands of Cruise Passengers Back Home After They Were Stranded in Middle East

Thousands of cruise passengers have been trying to get back home after cruises along the Persian Gulf had to be canceled due to the conflict in the region.

After a lot of uncertainty in and around Iran, German travel giant TUI confirmed today that it has officially begun the process of sending guests back to their home countries.

TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel announced that the company is responsible for about 10,000 customers in the Middle East, with about 5,000 of them being cruise passengers currently on two vessels.  Add in the crew and these ships have about 7,000 people in total. 

These ships include Mein Schiff 4, docked in Abu Dhabi, and Mein Schiff 5, currently in Doha.

“We Take it Very Seriously”

To get everyone home safely, TUI is working with Gulf carriers including Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.

While TUI’s own airline, TUIfly, has aircraft ready to help out, they are currently on standby waiting for the necessary governmental permissions to fly through the restricted airspaces.

“Repatriation is our responsibility, and we take it very seriously,” Ebel told German broadcasters. “Everything is organized, but when you have 5,000 customers on a ship and each plane only holds 200, it takes time.”

Reports Near Mein Schiff 4

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that a projectile, which was likely debris from an intercepted missile, landed in the water near Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi.  In reality, the debris was still 1 to 2 kilometers away and no one on board was in any imminent danger.

But still, this kind of event is nothing to play games with, and after hearing the loud explosion travel across the water, it’s no wonder any one on board would be ready to head home.

Smoke was visible from the ship and passengers received emergency alerts on their phones.

Passengers have spent much of the last 48 hours following strict safety protocols, which include staying away from outdoor decks and remaining in interior cabins.

What’s Next?

The first wave of flights is expected to arrive in Germany, specifically Munich, later today. But because of the large number of travelers and the limited number of available flight slots, the full evacuation is expected to take several days.

The German Foreign Ministry is also stepping in to provide any help needed.  Reports say Germany is focusing on chartering flights for the most vulnerable travelers, including the elderly, children, and pregnant women.