Numbered Front: What is happening to Russians stranded in the Middle East
More than 100,000 Russian citizens remain in the Middle East, where the skies have "closed" due to the US and Israeli military operation against Iran, tour operators told Izvestia. Airlines have suspended flights over the conflict zone and neighboring countries due to restrictions imposed by local authorities. Tourists stuck in the UAE told Izvestia that some tour operators and airlines did not immediately help them extend their hotel rooms and did not provide flight information. But now the situation has stabilized, there are no systemic complaints related to the lack of accommodation or refusal to provide basic services, industry representatives assure. How tourists are helped is described in the Izvestia article.
What difficulties did tourists face?
Extending hotel stays at their own expense, the inability to promptly contact tour operators and airlines, and find out flight information are the main problems faced by tourists after the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. As of March 1, the cancellation of flights affected about 20 thousand Russians staying in the UAE, whose travel dates have expired, the press service of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported. In total, there are about 50 thousand organized Russian tourists in the country and up to 100 thousand people with a Russian passport, according to the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT). There are also organized tourists in Saudi Arabia — about a thousand people, and in Oman (800-900).
Those whose planned vacation is coming to an end are asked by tour operators to stay in touch, promptly inform their current place of stay, and closely monitor notifications from the host country and airlines, ATOR said.
Representatives of tour operators, travel agents and specialized associations told Izvestia that by the evening of March 1, the situation with tourists had stabilized.
However, on the first day of the conflict, it was difficult. Some tourists were unable to contact tour operators, they had to extend hotels at their own expense, and the money for the canceled flights has not yet been returned to them.
Tourist Ksenia told Izvestia that she was supposed to return to Russia on February 28, and she booked the trip through the Let's fly tour operator. However, she could not get through immediately, after which she independently paid for a hotel room for a day.
— Whether this is due to the fact that it's a day off is unknown. We somehow contacted the tour operator and got information to stay at the hotel. We have nowhere to go, we have children," she said.
Ksenia was told that the tour operator was solving the current situation, but they did not give her an exact date.
Lyubov Voronina, Managing Director of Let's Fly, explained to Izvestia that they expected recommendations from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and messages from airlines.
"There is no understanding how long the sky will be closed," she said. — Tour operators need to extend the accommodation of tourists who are currently in the UAE and were supposed to depart on March 1-2, since, according to the recommendations of many airlines, tourists should not travel to the airport at the moment.
Another tourist who booked a trip through the Travelata agency, and the hotel through the Anex tour operator, told Izvestia that the operator refused to extend the hotel.
"They never contact tourists themselves, they always need to be under control," he said. — We live where we lived, we will extend our stay.
Tourist Victoria was unable to receive a response from either the Cruise travel agency or the airline. She explained to Izvestia that she had already paid for the hotel at her own expense.
— We are sitting and waiting, there is no information about additional flights for export, everything is on our own, — she said.
Now the girl is trying to get information through the Russian consulate.
How tourists waited out missile strikes
Some Russian tourists in Dubai (UAE) spent the night from February 28 to March 1 in hotel lobbies and parking lots, where hotel staff arranged sleeping places. Local authorities declared the air danger after Iran, in response to the attacks by the United States and Israel, responded with its own attacks on the territory of Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The targets were US military bases, but there was also unrest in the tourist areas.
— The alerts on our iPhones went off, and the hotel administration told us to go down to the basement. It's a very nervous situation," said tourist Nadezhda Morozova.
In Dubai, there are almost no people on the streets, all the beaches are closed, said another tourist Irina. According to her, there is a smell of rocket fuel in the air.
— We slept all night under the cannonade of air defense. I think there was an explosion here and there every five minutes," said Yuri Degtyarev, a tourist from St. Petersburg. — We don't know anything about our flight, but yesterday a similar flight was postponed to Thursday, so I think we'll spend another week here.
He is currently extending his stay at the hotel at his own expense.
No one is flying anywhere
The situation is a little easier for those who were just going on a trip. According to the Ministry of Transport, as of the afternoon of March 1, 62 flights between Russia and the countries of the Middle East were canceled. Funds were refunded for more than 4 thousand tickets. Passengers of cancelled flights are accommodated in hotels or sent home.
"The situation at Russian airports is calm, there are no crowds of passengers," the department's Telegram channel says.
Cruise operators are also canceling scheduled tours of the Persian Gulf countries. Because of this, tourists are stuck on cruise ships in Dubai. In particular, the MSC Euribia, Celestyal Discovery and Aroya liners are located in the port of this city. And the ship Celestyal Journey is located in the port of Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Vacationers post messages from ship crews on social media. They notify tourists that the liners must remain in ports until further notice to local authorities.
How Russians are helped in the UAE
After the closure of airports in most Persian Gulf countries, tour operators place tourists in hotels at their own expense or extend their stay, the press service of the PCT reported.
The UAE authorities will also bear the cost of accommodation for passengers whose flights have been postponed or delayed, the country's General Directorate of Civil Aviation said.
The situation when the UAE authorities promised to compensate the costs to hotels and host companies is happening for the first time, Artur Muradian, CEO of Space Travel, told Izvestia.
—However, despite this promise, we are still witnessing chaos in hotels, which, unfortunately, have mostly taken the position of "money in the morning, chairs in the evening," he said. — Some tourists are faced with demands to leave the room, which has already been extended. We recommended not to go anywhere, be patient, we are trying to solve everything with the hotel management.
Dmitry Arutyunov, co-head of the PCT Outbound Tourism Committee and CEO of Art-Tour, also noted that airlines are currently not doing everything to accommodate their passengers.
The situation remains difficult, but solvable, ATOR notes.
— It is impossible to fly out, the sky is closed. Therefore, the only help at this stage is placement. Tour operators are unlikely to be able to do anything more," said Maya Lomidze, Executive Director of ATOR.
If the airports of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah remain closed, tourists will be offered accommodation until March 3 with three meals a day, said Aleksan Mkrtchyan, Vice President of the Alliance of Travel Agencies Association.
The Yandex Travel press service reported that a small number of requests from travelers with requests to cancel reservations in the coming dates are being recorded.
"For our part, we have already carried out cancellations and refunds for all tourists with the nearest settlement dates in the Middle East," they said.
According to preliminary data, about 10% of tourists have completed their tours, the Turpomosh Association told Izvestia.
"There are hotlines of the Turpomosh Association and tour operators, as well as official notifications and recommendations are published on the association's resources and in the Tourist's Assistant mobile application," they recalled. — The observance of the rights of tourists is under constant control. All requests are recorded and processed promptly."
There were no systemic complaints related to the lack of accommodation or refusal to provide basic services, the association stressed. The main part of the requests is related to the need to obtain additional information about the procedure for further actions, departure dates, as well as the rules for postponing, extending or changing trip parameters.
Who is entitled to compensation
During organized trips, the responsibility for evacuation and organizational decisions lies with the tour operator, lawyer and managing partner of AVG Legal Alexey Gavrishev told Izvestia.
— If there is a security threat, the tour operator must either arrange a return or offer an alternative. If the stay becomes impossible due to extraordinary circumstances, the tourist has the right to demand a refund of the cost of services not provided," he explained.
In addition, a passenger whose flight was canceled may request a refund of the full ticket price or an alternative route, Alexey Gavrishev noted. Even in case of force majeure, the airline is not exempt from the obligation to refund money for transportation not provided.
— The tourist has the right to terminate the contract (with the tour operator) due to the threat to life and health in the country of temporary stay. The money is subject to refund after deducting the actual expenses incurred," the lawyer said.
It is more difficult for independent travelers: they will have to deal with each counterparty separately: the airline, the hotel, the booking service, and study the cancellation conditions, Gavrishev added.
— The main rule for tourists now is to document everything: flight cancellations, airline messages, and official risk notifications. This will later prove a significant change in circumstances," the lawyer said. — If the state officially recognizes the region as unsafe to visit, tourists have stronger legal grounds for a refund.
Thus, AlfaStrakhovanie's clients will receive payments in connection with the closure of the airspace, the company's press service reported. Sberbank Insurance has expanded its insurance coverage in connection with the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
"Previously, such circumstances were included in the list of exceptions. All necessary medical care will be provided, and payments for flight delays and cancellations will be made," the company told Izvestia.
Rosgosstrakh added that there have been no complaints from Russian tourists so far.
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