Australia’s home affairs minister Tony Burke has warned that commercial airlines will need to resume regular services across the Middle East if governments are to clear a growing backlog of travellers stranded by the region’s escalating conflict.
Speaking on ABC Radio National Breakfast, Burke said chartered evacuation flights alone would not be enough to return tens of thousands of people attempting to leave the region.
More than 100,000 travellers are currently stranded across the Middle East after airspace closures, airport disruptions and security concerns forced airlines to suspend many international routes.
“When something like this happens, normally our process has been to get people to the transport hubs,” Burke said.
“This time, the transport hubs have also been attacked.”
The disruption to major aviation hubs has complicated government evacuation efforts, with airlines only gradually beginning to resume flights after assessing safety conditions.
Burke said the government’s priority remained helping Australians return home safely, but acknowledged the scale of the disruption meant commercial airlines would play the central role in moving passengers out of the region.
“Our priority is being able to get Australians safe and get them back home,” he said.
“When you’ve got more than 100,000 people in the region who have been stranded, a charter flight option isn’t going to scratch the surface on that.
“You really need to rely on the commercial airlines.”
Australian authorities have already organised repatriation flights from regional transit hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which are being used to move Australians out of affected areas.
However, officials say those flights are only able to assist a limited number of passengers while broader air travel across the region remains disrupted.
Burke said airlines were now beginning to reintroduce flights, although companies must ensure both aircraft availability and safe flight paths before expanding services.
“The commercial flights are now starting to come,” he said.
“But obviously the airlines are having to not only make sure they’ve got planes available but also make sure that it’s safe to fly.”
During the interview, Burke was also asked about reports that Israeli president Isaac Herzog held a private meeting with the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation during a visit to Australia last month.
The home affairs minister dismissed suggestions the meeting was unusual, saying it was common for visiting leaders to request discussions with intelligence agencies.
“When you get dignitaries or ministers visiting from other countries, they make their requests for who they want to have conversations with,” Burke said.
“So it’s not unusual for requests to come through for security agencies.”
He added that meetings between foreign officials and Australian intelligence bodies occur regularly as part of international cooperation on security matters.