Belgium’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has confirmed the successful completion of its first round of repatriation flights for nationals wishing to leave the Gulf region amid escalating regional tensions. An Airbus A400M operated by the Air Component touched down at Brussels Airport at 01:30 CET on 10 March 2026 with 234 passengers on board, including 195 Belgians and a mix of Spanish, French, Luxembourgish and Swedish citizens. The complex air-bridge began three days earlier, when diplomats in Muscat, Dubai and Abu Dhabi compiled passenger manifests and secured overflight permits at short notice. Two A400Ms ferried evacuees from Dubai to Hurghada, Egypt, where an MRTT tanker performed the onward leg to Brussels. A commercial Cyprus Airways A320 supplemented capacity, reflecting the government’s ‘all-assets’ approach. Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib praised the effort, noting that military lift was essential because commercial schedules had thinned as carriers rerouted around conflict airspace. Passengers interviewed by local media recounted seeing rocket interceptions near Gulf air corridors and expressed relief at the Belgian authorities’ responsiveness. The operation highlights Belgium’s growing use of the military to safeguard citizen mobility. Similar airlifts were organised after the 2025 Niger coup and the 2024 Sudan crisis. HR teams with staff in volatile regions should ensure they are registered in the Foreign Ministry’s Travellers Online system so they can be contacted swiftly in future emergencies. Further evacuation flights remain on standby, and embassies continue to monitor conditions in the Gulf. Employers with Belgian assignees in the region are advised to review extraction protocols and confirm that travel-risk insurance covers non-scheduled military flights.
Source: The Bulletin
