Armenian citizens stranded in Gulf countries face difficulties returning home

By Gevorg Tosunyan

Five days after the start of U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, Armenian authorities have limited their response to citizens stranded in the conflict zone largely to providing information and offering free transportation to Muscat, the capital of Oman.

From Muscat, passengers must purchase their own tickets to Yerevan. The Muscat–Yerevan flights are operated by FlyOne Armenia, where ticket prices have risen sharply to 900–1,100 euros, compared with around 400 euros previously.

The airline’s largest shareholder is Eduard Sukiasyan, who holds a 50 percent stake and is the brother of Khachatur Sukiasyan, a member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction.

The situation has triggered growing frustration among Armenian citizens in Middle Eastern countries and on social media. Many argue that the government has taken no effective steps to organize their return, while a company linked to a pro-government lawmaker is charging unusually high prices for flights.

“They are trying to squeeze profit out of this situation until the very end,” Isabella Sargsyan, an Armenian citizen currently in Abu Dhabi with her family, said in a video message posted on Facebook.

Aram Ananyan, chairman of FlyOne Armenia’s board, told CivilNet by phone that the company would only respond to questions via email. A written inquiry has already been sent.

Although FlyOne Armenia is not Armenia’s official national carrier, it has referred to itself as such in several public statements.

On March 4, Armenia’s embassy in the United Arab Emirates said that citizens who already have, or manage to obtain, tickets for the March 5 Muscat–Yerevan flight can use the last free transfer organized by the embassy and Armenia’s Consulate General in Dubai from the UAE to Oman.

The wording of the embassy’s statement suggests that this assistance may end after March 5.

The crisis follows the start of large-scale U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, targeting nuclear and military facilities in several cities, including Tehran. The attacks marked a major escalation in regional tensions and triggered airspace disruptions, flight cancellations, and security concerns across parts of the Middle East.