Due to the war between the USA, Israel, and Iran, tens of thousands of travelers are stranded in the Middle East. The German government is organizing return flights, but affected individuals may have to contribute to the costs. Travel operators like Tui and Dertour promise to cover these costs if their customers use the flights.
Since the outbreak of the war between the USA, Israel, and Iran, around 30,000 package tourists from German travel operators are stranded in the Middle East, according to the Deutscher Reiseverband. Airspaces are largely closed, and initial evacuation flights only started after days. The German government has organized return flights to bring German vacationers home, but these are not free of charge.
The Auswärtiges Amt confirms that affected individuals must contribute to costs, as stipulated in the Consular Act. This contribution equals the price of an economy flight, about 400 to 500 euros per person; for families with children, costs can exceed 1,000 euros. Travel law expert Karolina Wojtal from the European Consumer Centre explains that such contributions were also common during the Corona pandemic. Since the government flights are not considered commercial flights—according to the European Court of Justice's ruling—refunds from airlines or operators under EU passenger rights are difficult. For package tours, however, the Package Travel Directive may apply.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul emphasized that travel operators are primarily responsible for package tourists. Gebeco states it has no guests on government flights; all returnees use regular flights. "Gebeco travelers are best secured on trips with us through the applicable Package Travel Directive," said Michael Knapp, CCO of Gebeco. Tui works with partners like Emirates and would cover costs if necessary, according to spokesperson Aage Dünhaupt. Dertour has already repatriated a quarter of its affected customers via special flights with Emirates and Etihad and promises full coverage of government costs. Lufthansa and Condor did not comment.
Wadephul reported on Thursday a relaxation: "The capacities for departure are increasing day by day." From Dubai and Abu Dhabi, around 250 commercial flights are starting, over 60 to Europe, some to Germany, with full EU legal protections.
In the context of the conflict, US President Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to have the Navy escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if Iran implements the blockade, which affects one-fifth of global oil demand.
