Behind the scenes with SCOT member Suleyman in Muscat, Oman

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‘I always keep a “grab bag” ready for these kinds of situations,’ Suleyman says. ‘I only have to shove my passport inside and then I’m good to go. At the last minute my destination changed from Dubai to Oman, but obviously in situations like this things can change rapidly, so you always bear that in mind. When I arrived in Oman after an 18-hour journey, I had to sprint to the arrivals hall, because the first buses carrying Dutch nationals were already arriving.’

SCOT’s tasks

How is he helping Dutch nationals in Muscat? Suleyman explains that he’s performing a combination of different tasks. On the one hand, there’s the administrative work, which is key to maintaining an accurate overview. ‘That includes preparing flight lists, checking people in and verifying that they’re the right people.’ But the team’s tasks also include making and executing practical plans. ‘We need to be flexible and come up with creative solutions if things don’t go as we hoped or expected.’

Suleyman and his colleagues also try to give personal attention to those who need help. ‘We receive new arrivals, talk with them and offer support. We give them information and try to communicate as fully and clearly as possible. These people have been on the go for a long time, and they’re coming from high-stress situations. We’ve had to escort several people to the airport medical centre on arrival in Muscat, because they needed immediate medical attention.’

‘You’re dealing with people who’ve been in challenging situations’

People are also glad to have the chance to share their experiences with Suleyman and the other SCOT staff. ‘I spoke with one family who had been on holiday in Dubai to recover after a traumatic event,’ he says. ‘And then, after two days, all hell suddenly breaks loose. They arrived in Muscat after a long journey by bus. They’ve basically been in survival mode the whole time. Just imagine what that must be like.’

Unfortunately, says Suleyman, people sometimes fail to show up after confirming travel arrangements. ‘That’s frustrating. It means you’re taking a seat from someone else who really wants it. Our top priority is to make sure as many people as possible can get on the flights to the Netherlands as they become available. So naturally we’re carefully monitoring our lists of registered Dutch nationals.’