When conflict in the Middle East arose earlier this year, for thousands of overseas regional employees, operations and living situations drastically changed overnight. With anxieties and uncertainty high, many employers were left in challenging circumstances, balancing business activity with the duty of care they owed to their employees.
Situations like this are not uncommon for businesses working in volatile markets and regions. However, the scale of the growing tensions was new to many. To navigate the situation, expert travel support was critical.
The Situation
As regional tensions escalated across Iraq and the wider Middle East, an energy services and engineering company with operations in the region faced the urgent challenge of relocating personnel from an increasingly uncertain operating environment.
The requirement began as a precautionary drawdown of non-essential personnel ahead of the conflict involving Israel, the US and Iran, before developing into a wider workforce evacuation involving more than 150 personnel.
Travel conditions were increasingly complex. Flight availability was limited; routing options varied depending on nationality and visa eligibility, and arrangements were required at short notice across multiple borders and departure points.
Through the client’s established travel programme with ATPI, traveller profiles and travel data provided visibility of employees in-country, in transit and due to travel, helping support planning and coordination as the situation evolved.
The Challenge
ATPI worked alongside the client’s travel, HR, HSE, and security teams to support planning and coordinate personnel movements throughout the evacuation period. An initial planning call was held in March to review available options and establish workable evacuation routes. From there, dedicated communication channels enabled regular status updates and live coordination between operational teams.
The first phase focused on the precautionary relocation of non-essential personnel. Despite limited availability and short lead times, flights and transit accommodation were secured, and personnel departed on a range of available services to their home countries.
As the wider evacuation programme progressed, routing was coordinated according to visa eligibility and border access requirements. Personnel eligible for visa-on-arrival access travelled via Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, supported by coordinated accommodation, onward ground transportation and international departures.
Alternative routes were arranged via Turkey for personnel unable to transit through Kuwait. These journeys involved coordinated land movements, overnight accommodation where required and onward flights from regional airports based on the nearest available capacity.
Throughout the operation, travel teams worked extended hours and maintained regular communication with the client and operational stakeholders to provide updates on traveller movements and support decision-making at key stages of the evacuation.
The Outcome
Over a seven-day period, more than 150 personnel were successfully evacuated from Iraq through multiple international routes despite limited flight availability, changing border requirements and heightened regional instability.
The operation enabled the client to maintain visibility of personnel movements while supporting safe relocation and continuous communication throughout the evacuation process.
The client formally recognised the collaborative effort involved, highlighting the responsiveness, flexibility and operational support provided during the evacuation.
“ATPI’s responsiveness, flexibility, and willingness to work extended hours to arrange visas, transport, hotels, and flights, and to continuously monitor movements, was critical to the success of this operation.”
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