The first charter flight carrying British nationals from Oman has departed, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the Middle East evacuation as one of the largest operations of its kind. The flight, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening, took off just before Starmer addressed a Downing Street press conference on Thursday.
More than 2,000 people arrived in the UK on Wednesday via eight flights from the United Arab Emirates, with ten more expected on Thursday. Starmer stressed the scale of the operation, saying it is "many times bigger than the evacuation from Afghanistan" and that the government will not stop until all British nationals are safe.
However, the evacuation has faced criticism from MPs and stranded Britons. A passenger named Mark, on the Oman flight, described the situation as a "complete shambles" with check-in issues and poor communication. Conservative leader and Labour backbencher Emily Thornberry raised concerns about difficulties identifying consular staff at Muscat airport.
British Airways has announced an additional daily flight from Muscat to London Heathrow, a route it does not usually serve, departing at 10.30pm on Saturday. Over 140,000 Britons have registered with the Foreign Office in the Middle East, including more than 100,000 in the UAE. Minister Hamish Falconer called it a "consular challenge on a scale not seen since Covid," noting that commercial flights remain the most rapid routes home.
Qualifying passengers on government flights are asked to pay for seats, with the most vulnerable prioritised. The first rescue flight was delayed due to problems boarding passengers, according to Home Office minister Alex Norris.
