Hundreds of Czech citizens stranded in the Middle East may soon have a way back home, but the evacuation will not be free.

The Czech government has arranged additional flights from the region, offering seats for 15,000 CZK as air travel across several countries remains disrupted.

The situation developed after escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran forced several airports in the region to suspend operations.

On Saturday, major hubs such as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar halted flights, leaving thousands of travelers without clear options to return to Europe.

Since the weekend, the Czech government’s crisis staff has been coordinating a response. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka have been discussing ways to help Czech citizens leave affected countries.

Several government aircraft have already transported citizens back to Prague. Since Tuesday evening, flights have arrived from Amman, Muscat, and from Israel via Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where a military CASA aircraft collected passengers before flying them to the Czech Republic. Officials say more flights are being prepared.

A larger evacuation flight has been arranged through the private airline Smartwings. The aircraft carries 189 passengers and departed from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on Wednesday evening.

Passengers had to pay 15,000 CZK for the trip. The information was sent to citizens registered in the government’s Drozd travel system, which alerts people abroad during emergencies.

Passengers did not need to pay immediately. According to instructions distributed by the Foreign Ministry, travelers signed a payment commitment during check-in. They were advised to arrive at the airport around 4 p.m., where embassy staff will assist them before departure.

Member of the European Parliament Danuše Nerudová criticized the decision in a Facebook post, questioning whether the government should charge people trying to leave a conflict zone. She pointed out that for a family of four, the journey home would cost about 60,000 CZK.

Online reactions were mixed. Some commenters supported Nerudová’s criticism, arguing that the state should cover the costs during emergencies. Others said travelers should share the financial burden, especially if they had chosen to visit the region despite growing tensions.

The Foreign Ministry defended the approach, saying the government was already using available resources, including military aircraft. Those planes, officials noted, have limited capacity and operational constraints.

Using a chartered commercial plane, the ministry said, provides an additional option for citizens who still need to return home.

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