Middle East evacuation drives private flight surge from Oman airport

Long border crossings, SUV convoys and six-figure jet charters have become the new escape route from the Middle East as Operation Epic Fury intensifies; private flights now account for almost a third of all departures from Oman’s main airport.

Real-time flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 reported that private flights accounted for 31% of operations at Muscat International Airport on Wednesday, as Oman remains a “vital” hub for evacuation and repatriation flights.

As of Thursday afternoon, the platform reported that more than 30% of all movements at the airport were private flights.

Semaphore reported Earlier this week, airports in Oman and Saudi Arabia were attracting ultra-rich travelers looking to leave those countries.

People familiar with the matter told the press that private security companies were booking fleets of SUVs to take people on the 10-hour journey from Dubai to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where private flights are available.

According to Semafor, customers evacuating the region include senior executives of global financial companies and wealthy travelers who come to the region for business or leisure.

LIV golfer Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner, was just one of the wealthy who took a flight amid the mayhem.

MIDDLE EAST TRAVEL NIGHTMARE DEEPENS AS IRAN’S AIR ATTACKS LEAVE PASSENGERS AWAY

Rahm, through his partnership with VistaJet, a private aviation company, arranged a charter flight to fly seven stranded LIV golfers and a caddy from Oman to Hong Kong after their flight was cancelled.

After a more than four-hour journey to Oman, the crew flew to Hong Kong.

A spokesperson for Air Charter Service, which acts as a global broker for private jets and freight, told FOX Business the company has operated more than 10 evacuation flights, with more planned mostly for passengers seeking to escape out of Oman and Dubai.

stranded in the Middle East, an American flees in a race to reach her critically ill husband in CALIFORNIA.

FlightRadar24 shared flights entering and exiting Muscat airport. (via @Flightradar24 X)

“We evacuated some of our own staff who had just visited the region and arranged transportation from the UAE to Oman via Hatta to take them to Muscat from where they flew out of the region,” the spokesman said. he said. “As of Sunday, border crossing time in Hatta took about 3-4 hours, but I think that time is increasing now as more people are looking at this option.”

Light-flight jet trips from Muscat, Oman, to Istanbul, Türkiye, reportedly cost more than $93,000. According to ForbesHe said the price was about twice the normal price.

The same route can cost up to $140,000 on heavy jets, the outlet added.

AMERICANS IN MORE THAN A DOZEN MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES ARE CALLED TO FREAK

This map shows the targets of Iran’s retaliatory strikes. (Fox News)

The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday, triggering retaliatory strikes targeting countries in the region that host US interests.

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar advised US citizens to leave Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

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The limited number of planes available has increased prices as citizens and travelers try to escape.

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik and Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.

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