Almost 400 Irish people return home from Dubai on first flight since Iran war started

Almost 400 people were brought safely back to Ireland on the first flight from Dubai since the war in the Middle East began.

386 people arrived at Dublin Airport on Emirates Flight EK 163 at around 10:45pm last night, with only "about 25%" of them being Irish.

"They were relieved to be back on Irish soil and escape Dubai and the Iran war," Henry McKean, who was at the airport last night, told Newstalk. 

Many of the passengers claim to have felt lucky for even being able to get on the flight, while others still had "confusion and anger." 

Liz and Anthony were on the flight after being stuck in Dubai Airport, where they heard the explosions.

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The couple was due to fly home last Saturday, but all flights had been cancelled.

After the explosion, they were evacuated from the airport, which Liz described as "pandemonium" and "manic." 

This was the first flight to leave Dubai since the war started, but the Irish government is chartering a flight from Oman tomorrow. 

However, it has been causing some controversy as passengers hoping to get on the flight have to pay €800. 

In a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee, it is stated that the government is covering a portion of the cost, but it doesn't say how much. 

Senator Patricia Stephenson described the flight as "a shakedown, not an evacuation," according to the Irish Independent.

"Desperate people, stuck in a war zone, should not be asked for €800 by their own government so they can get home to safety," she added.