First charter jet brings French nationals home from Middle East
The Straits Times
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said there would be more repatriation flights on March 4. Read more at straitstimes.com.
PARIS – A first charter flight carrying French nationals stranded in the Middle East since the start of the war with Iran landed at Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris early on March 4.
Governments and airlines have been scrambling to repatriate tens of thousands of travellers stranded after the eruption of a regional conflict sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
France is among the most affected Western nations, with an estimated 400,000 nationals present in around 15 countries touched by the conflict.
The aircraft chartered by Air France left Muscat, the capital of Oman, on the evening of March 3 and landed in France shortly before 3am on March 3.
“We never thought this would happen,” said passenger Emmy Coutelier, 18.
When the first strikes hit Dubai, she was in the hotel swimming pool with her boyfriend.












