Journalist Ashraf Helmy has proposed to the Australian government a plan to assist Australians stranded in Middle Eastern countries due to the ongoing conflict in the region. This situation has led to several airports in Gulf countries shutting down and air travel being severely disrupted.

The proposal suggests that the government coordinate with Australians stuck in these countries through their embassies or dedicated Australian websites. The plan involves organizing bus trips for registered Australians to travel overland to Oman, where further arrangements can be made for flights back to Australia. This could be facilitated in collaboration with Australian airlines or by utilizing aircraft currently grounded in Australian airports. Alternatively, there could be maritime travel options using floating hotels at one of Oman’s ports, transporting individuals to the nearest safe countries before flying to Australia.

For Australians stranded in Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon, the proposal includes overland travel to Cairo, from where they can fly home through Cairo International Airport.