ATHENS, Greece — In an unprecedented humanitarian operation, Greece successfully evacuated dozens of pets alongside their owners from conflict-ridden Middle Eastern airspace. A specially chartered Aegean Airlines flight touched down at Athens International Airport on Wednesday, carrying 101 passengers and 45 companion animals from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The arrival ceremony became an emotional reunion scene as dogs leaped enthusiastically from their travel carriers, greeted by government officials who orchestrated the complex evacuation. The mission addressed a critical challenge faced by hundreds of Greek nationals stranded amid escalating regional hostilities between Israel, Iran, and the United States.
Nikos Chrysakis, Special Secretary for Companion Animal Protection at the Greek Interior Ministry, emphasized the government’s commitment: “Our pets are not luggage; they are family members. Through coordinated efforts between interior and foreign ministries, we achieved this positive outcome ensuring both people and animals returned home safely.”
The evacuation became necessary as commercial airlines across the Middle East canceled thousands of flights following repeated airspace closures. Major aviation hubs including Dubai and Qatar suspended operations as missile trajectories crossed overhead, leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded without pet-accommodating alternatives.
Passenger accounts highlighted the emotional significance of the operation. Danai Koukoulomati, evacuated with her cat Muay Thai, stated: “My cat is family—abandoning him was never an option.” She described the extreme difficulties finding any flight accepting animals, either in cabin or cargo hold, during the crisis.
Fellow evacuee Alexandra Papayanis arrived with Sirtaki, her dog named after a Greek dance, plus an additional animal she rescued for a friend. “In these challenging circumstances,” she noted, “the primary concern became how to ensure our dogs and cats could escape with us.”
Maria Theochari, who refused to depart Dubai without her dog Matisse, expressed the sentiment shared by all passengers: “Like my children, I have Matisse. Separation is unthinkable—they are equally precious to me.”