UK launches first repatriation flight from Oman as conflict in the Middle East disrupts air traffic | News
The British government is preparing to exploit it first repatriation flight for British nationals stranded in the Middle East as continued missile and drone attacks in the Gulf continue to disrupt air traffic through the region.
A government-sponsored flight, yes departing from Muscat, Oman, at 11:00 PM local time (7:00 PM GMT) on Wednesdaybringing a number of British nationals home amid what officials described as the biggest disruption to international travel since the Covid-19 pandemic. The move follows the escalation of conflict between the US, Israel and Iran over the weekend, which led to widespread airspace restrictions across the Middle East.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed in the House of Commons that further charter flights would be organized in the coming days to help British nationals return to Britain. He also confirmed that eight commercial flights would depart from the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.
More than 130,000 Britons have indicated they are interested in leaving the region since the conflict escalated, with many travelers and expats currently stranded due to the suspension of flights between multiple countries.
Airspace in much of the Middle East remains severely restricted, impacting operations in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The Gulf region is a major global aviation hub, with some of the busiest airports in the world and major airlines connecting Europe, Asia and beyond. This means that the disruption has had a significant impact on global travel networks.
The British Foreign Office confirmed that priority would be given to British nationals on the first government flight from Oman who are already in the country, together with their spouses or partners and children under the age of 18. Demand for seats is expected to exceed aircraft capacity.
Many British nationals have traveled to Oman from other Gulf countries in the hope of securing a seat on a repatriation flight. Travelers have been urged to register their interest through official channels, while authorities continue to work with airlines to identify additional routes home.
British Airways will operate two flights from Oman to London Heathrow on Friday and Saturday for customers with existing bookings currently in Oman or the UAE. However, the airline is still unable to operate flights from several regional airports, including Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and Tel Aviv.
Despite the disruption, more than 1,000 British nationals managed to return to Britain on commercial flights from the UAE earlier this week.
Some travelers remain stranded across the region, including in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Muscat, the capital of Oman, is located approximately 450 kilometers from Dubai, where many British tourists and expats are currently based.
The ongoing crisis has severely disrupted airline operations across the region. Emirates suspended all commercial flights to and from Dubai on Wednesday, although a limited number of repatriation and cargo flights are operating. Passengers who have not been contacted by the airline are advised not to travel to the airport.
Etihad Airways also halted commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi until Thursday afternoon Qatar Airways has suspended operations from Doha until authorities confirm airspace can be safely reopened.
The impact of the conflict also extends beyond the Gulf. Cyprus has experienced further disruption after a drone attack on the British military base at RAF Akrotiri earlier this week, leading to dozens of flight cancellations at airports in Larnaca and Paphos.
Airlines included EasyJet, TUI, Lufthansa, Cyprus Airways and Wizz Air have been affected and several routes between Europe and the Middle East have been grounded.
The British government continues to assess its wider response to the crisis, including deploying the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean to strengthen security around the British base in Cyprus, as efforts continue to assist British nationals seeking to return home.
