The outbreak of war and the closure of large portions of airspace in the Middle East have prompted the German government to examine options for helping German holidaymakers stranded abroad.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) told reporters in Berlin that the safety of German citizens is his top priority. He added that due to continual shelling and the closure of airspace in most affected states, air transport is currently not possible. “We are doing everything we can in the present situation and are exploring further options” he said.
Wadephul announced close coordination with the travel industry. “We want to help Germans get back home” he said, naming talks with Lufthansa, Tui, and the German Travel Association. He also plans to send additional specialists on the ground. “That’s why I decided to dispatch crisis‑support teams from the Foreign Office to Muscat, Doha, and Dubai” the minister said.
Other teams are surveying the situation at border crossings. The focus is specifically on assessing transit routes between the affected countries toward Oman and Saudi Arabia, which still maintain open airspace, Wadephul explained.
Overall, the government is working with the tourism sector to align crisis‑management plans and to help return customers safely. Lufthansa has general capacity, but the necessary conditions must be assessed on a case‑by‑case basis. “We will also send aviation industry aircraft to Riyadh and Muscat as quickly as possible for particularly vulnerable groups” the CDU politician added.