Foreign Office issues major update on Middle East flights | World | News

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a travel advice update on the Middle East as the war in Iran continues to rage. In a post shared on X on March 9, the FCDO said dozens of flights are due to depart today from the region to bring back the Brits who have remained stranded there following the beginning of the US and Israeli Operation Epic Fury.

The post reads: “On Sunday, 30 flights departed from across the region carrying more than 7,000 British nationals – the highest number of Brits arriving in the UK in a single day since the beginning of the crisis. More than 40 flights are scheduled to depart from the region today.” The FCDO added that “more than 37,000 British nationals have returned to the UK since March 1”.

The post by the department on X continued: “Three charter flights have now left Oman and landed in the UK. The third flight landed in the UK earlier this morning (Monday).

“The UK government has chartered a flight out of Dubai which, subject to the situation on the ground, will leave later today.

“More than 40 flights are scheduled to depart from the region today (Monday). British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar and the UAE should ‘Register Your Presence’ with the FCDO.

“British nationals should continue to follow FCDO Travel Advice and local instructions, as the situation is volatile and could escalate.”

*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***

Some 172,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary will continue to speak to airlines, travel companies and regional governments to find safe routes home.”

Meanwhile, thousands of UK families face disruption to Easter holiday plans because of the conflict. Dozens of flights to Cyprus were cancelled last week, amid airlines’ concerns about its proximity to the region and the presence of a UK air base, which was hit by a drone.

On Monday, 16 out of the 18 scheduled flights from the UK to Qatar were cancelled because of continued airspace closures, aviation analytics company Cirium said. Eleven out of 33 flights from the UK to the UAE, which includes both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, were also axed.

About half a million passengers per day normally use airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi.

It is expected to take weeks to clear the backlog of stranded passengers caused by the conflict, which started on February 28.

Airspace closures are not just affecting holidaymakers who plan to visit the Middle East, as its airports are a vital hub for travel between Europe and the continents of Asia and Australia.

There has been a surge in demand for non-stop flights between the UK and Asia which avoid stopovers in the Middle East.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, told the Press Association: “The situation across the Middle East continues to evolve rapidly, and our travel agent partners have been working around the clock this weekend to ensure customers receive the most up-to-date advice and guidance. For holidays booked to Cyprus, it is very much business as usual.

“The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is not currently advising against travel to Cyprus and as such, if you choose to cancel your holiday at this stage, standard cancellation charges will apply.

“For holidays or trips booked to the Middle East, or to Asia with a routing through the Middle East, standard cancellation terms will apply unless your airline has proactively rerouted or cancelled your flight.

“If you have booked a package holiday and your trip is cancelled by the provider as a direct result of the situation, you are entitled to a full refund or the option to amend your booking.”