The Financial Times has reported that the cost of fleeing Dubai has surged dramatically, reaching as high as 250,000 US dollars for a family of four when relying on private jets, as Iranian strikes against the United Arab Emirates continue.
According to the report, the price of chartering private aircraft has doubled since the end of last week amid the ongoing suspension of regular commercial flight services. At the same time, the cost of travelling by land from Dubai to cities such as Muscat or Riyadh has risen to thousands of dollars, up from a few hundred previously.
Earlier, the news website Semafor reported that Riyadh has emerged as a primary destination for wealthy individuals and senior executives stranded in the Gulf, who are seeking a safe exit from the region.
The report explained that cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai had, in recent years, become havens for the global wealthy due to their year-round sunshine, tax-free lifestyle and general sense of security. However, this situation collapsed over the weekend when Iran launched waves of missiles and drones at the two cities, as well as Qatar and Bahrain, prompting those able to do so to attempt to flee.
Riyadh’s international airport remains one of the few airports in the region still operating, forcing executives and their families stranded across other Gulf states to travel long distances by car in order to reach private or commercial flights.
According to sources cited by the report, private security companies are reserving fleets of sport utility vehicles to transport individuals on a ten-hour drive from Dubai to Riyadh, after which private aircraft are chartered to fly them out of the region.
Sources familiar with the operations stated that evacuations are being arranged for a range of individuals, including senior executives from global financial firms as well as high net worth individuals visiting the region for business or tourism.
The same sources added that the growing demand for evacuation has led to sharp increases in the prices of both private aircraft and transport vehicles.
Amir Narayan, chief executive of the private aviation brokerage company Vimana Private, said:
“Saudi Arabia is currently the only available option for those seeking to leave the region.”
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