The first charter flight carrying British nationals from the Middle East has departed from Oman, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed on Thursday. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Starmer described the operation as one of the largest of its kind, surpassing the evacuation from Afghanistan in scale.
The flight, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening, was delayed due to issues with passenger boarding, according to Home Office minister Alex Norris. Onboard passenger Mark described the situation as a 'complete shambles', citing check-in problems and poor communication.
More than 2,000 people arrived in the UK on Wednesday via eight flights from the United Arab Emirates, with ten more flights expected on Thursday. British Airways has also announced an additional daily flight from Muscat to London Heathrow, a route it does not usually serve, departing on Saturday at 10:30 PM.
Over 140,000 Britons have registered their presence in the Middle East with the Foreign Office. Minister Hamish Falconer called it a 'consular challenge on a scale not seen since Covid', adding that commercial flights remain the most rapid route home. The government is prioritising the most vulnerable and asking evacuees to pay for seats.
The evacuation comes amid continued US and Israeli strikes on Iran and regional instability. Starmer stressed the operation would not happen overnight but vowed not to stop until all British nationals are safe.
