Uzbekistan's Ministry of Transport has issued a warning regarding cases where some tour operators and travel agents have abandoned their clients or cut off communication during the repatriation of citizens stranded in Middle Eastern countries due to ongoing military conflicts. According to the ministry, approximately 95% of the stranded citizens traveled on tour packages, highlighting the critical need for operators to fulfill their contractual obligations.

The ministry noted that tour packages typically include hotel accommodations, flights, transfers, and insurance policies, but in force majeure situations, some operators have failed to provide necessary assistance to customers or attempted to manipulate the situation through social media. Under insurance terms, passenger expenses in such cases should be covered, yet tour operators are showing deficiencies in systematically organizing the process.

In response, the Ministry of Transport has called on all tour operators and agents to strictly adhere to contracts, maintain constant communication with clients, and cooperate with airlines to rebook tickets to available destinations for evacuating citizens to safe areas. The ministry also urged resident and foreign airlines to comply with international aviation regulations.

Currently, regular international flights are operating without restrictions from Dammam and Riyadh airports in Saudi Arabia, while Jeddah and Medina routes continue normally. From February 28 to March 7, 63 flights from Medina and Jeddah airports repatriated 13,543 citizens, and 9 flights from Dubai brought 1,401 passengers to Uzbekistan.

Foreign airlines, including Fly Nas and Fly Dubai, have also operated flights on some routes, transporting a total of 1,365 passengers, of whom 990 are Uzbek citizens. Call centers at the "Uzaviation" agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are operating 24/7, and organizational work continues to evacuate citizens from Qatar via Riyadh.

Source: www.gazeta.uz