On Sunday, March 8, 2026, 330 French citizens arrived at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport after over 24 hours of travel from Dubai via Oman. Their flight, chartered by the French government, was the third civil repatriation amid the war in Iran. Passengers expressed great relief after delays caused by bombings.
The war in Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, has paralyzed airspace in the Middle East, canceling thousands of commercial flights. In response, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has chartered several flights to repatriate French citizens stranded in the region, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The March 8 flight marks the third civil repatriation. Scheduled for Thursday evening from Dubai, the Air France plane had to turn back due to missile fire. The 330 passengers were then bused for about ten hours to Muscat in Oman, where they boarded another flight to Paris. Arrival at Roissy occurred at 5:20 a.m., after a difficult border crossing and laborious boarding.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot welcomed the travelers and praised the «great dignity» they showed. Speaking on France Info, he described a «terrible emotional rollercoaster» for these people, ready to depart since Thursday evening but facing repeated cancellations. «For most, they have 24 hours of travel, I'd say especially with about ten hours by bus between Dubai and Oman», he added.
The repatriated shared their experiences. Philippe, a tourist returning with his family, told AFP he saw «explosions in the sky» in Dubai and endured «four canceled flights» before taking the bus. «I wanted to cry, to be back home in France with my wife and child, safe», he said. Adrien, repatriated from Abu Dhabi, mentioned «bombardments» and «phone alerts» waking him in the night. Louis, a vacationer from Dubai, reported to RTL the collective relief «when we saw we were over Greece».
In total, seven flights have been organized since the conflict began, including two civil Air France flights – one landing Wednesday with 350 passengers – and three military ones. A fourth military flight is scheduled for that day. Over 1,000 French have returned thanks to these government operations. Regarding financing, tickets are charged below market rates, military planes are free, and EU co-financing remains little used, with the final bill yet to be determined.
