Armenian citizens stranded in Abu Dhabi as government offers limited help

Armenian citizens in the United Arab Emirates are facing travel disruptions as flights to Yerevan are canceled and the Armenian government does not plan to organize full evacuations.

Isabella Sargsyan, who was scheduled to return to Armenia from Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, remains stranded in a local hotel due to closed airspace. In a video shared on social media, she explained that her Abu Dhabi-Yerevan flight with FLY One was canceled.

Sargsyan said the UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has agreed to cover hotel accommodations, three meals per day and other expenses for stranded travelers.

However, she criticized the Armenian government’s response, saying it only arranges free transfers to Oman, from where citizens must purchase their own tickets to return to Armenia. Sargsyan noted that current flight prices from Oman to Armenia are around €900.

“Armenia is not organizing a full evacuation,” she said. “The government is only offering free transport to Oman.”