Gazeta.uz correspondent Mirolim Isajonov on Sunday visited Tashkent airport to speak with passengers flying to Abu Dhabi (UAE) and returning from there.
As reported earlier, 31 men aboard a Wizz Air flight from Tashkent on the evening of 29 November, which arrived in Abu Dhabi early on 30 November, were denied entry into the country. Other men arriving from the city of Samarkand were similarly barred.
Some passengers returned to Tashkent in the morning of 1 December via an Air Arabia flight. Another Wizz Air flight from Abu Dhabi was scheduled to arrive on Sunday evening, with a return flight planned afterward.
The correspondent learned that a lot of passengers departing for Abu Dhabi were traveling for Umrah pilgrimage, many were unaware of the events at the destination airport.
The Wizz Air representative Muhammadyusuf Muhammadusmonov answered Gazeta.uz's questions about the situation.
— Yesterday, several male passengers were denied entry at to the UAE at Abu Dhabi airport. What do you know about this, and what is happening now?
— As far as I know, upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, the border service denied them entry. Based on the lists available [at the company], there were 31 such men. Their passports were confiscated, and they were detained for over 15 hours. There were also passengers arriving from Samarkand. The return of these men is now being arranged, with tickets provided.
— Who pays for the return tickets? Some men we spoke to said they bought their tickets themselves.
— About 15−20 passengers already in Samarkand. The rest will return to Tashkent today (Wizz Air’s flight was expected to land at 19:50 — Gazeta.uz).
If a passenger is deemed INAD, or inadmissible, by the border service, the airline either reschedules their return flight if they have a ticket or provides a new ticket at the company’s expense. This is the airline’s responsibility — when a passenger is refused entry.
— Is it true that only men are being denied entry?
— Women, men traveling with families, and elderly men are being allowed entry. However, solo male travelers, including those transiting through Abu Dhabi (for Umrah pilgrimage to Medina — Gaeta.uz), are reportedly not permitted entry. I emphasize that exact information is still unavailable.
— Has the airline faced such incidents before?
— No, this is the first time. Visa-free entry for citizens of Uzbekistan to Abu Dhabi was introduced only a few months ago. There have not been such cases since then.
— Does the airline warn passengers about the situation in Abu Dhabi?
— Border control in Abu Dhabi determines entry, and Wizz Air has no influence over this. We are the carrier. Of course, our agents are aware of the events. But passengers make their own travel decisions.
— Have there been ticket cancellations following the incident?
— No, there have been no cancellations.
Gazeta.uz will later publish comments from passengers traveling to and from Abu Dhabi.