BRITAIN has chartered its first repatriation flight for nationals stranded across the Middle East following the outbreak of conflict in the region, with a government-operated aircraft due to leave Muscat on Wednesday (4) evening.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the flight will depart Muscat International Airport at 2300 local time (1900 GMT), open to British nationals along with their spouses or partners and children under the age of 18.
All passengers must hold a valid travel document, and dependants who are not British nationals will require a visa or permission to enter the UK that was granted for more than six months.
The FCDO said it would contact eligible passengers directly to secure them a seat, stressing that British nationals should not travel to the airport unless they have been called.
Those who have registered their presence in the region in recent days have been asked to complete the official repatriation form. The office said it would prioritise the most vulnerable passengers first.
A specialised Rapid Deployment Team has been deployed to Muscat to provide on-the-ground support. British Airways said it would also operate a separate commercial flight from Oman in the early hours of Thursday (5) local time, though the airline remains unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv while airspace across those countries remains closed.
Around 130,000 British citizens have registered their presence across Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates since the conflict began last Saturday (28), when Iran launched retaliatory attacks on its neighbours following American and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.
A Police patrol boat passes HMS Dragon, a Royal Navy Type 45 Daring-class air-defence destroyer warship, moored outside HM Naval Base Portsmouth, on the south coast of England, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Hundreds of thousands of Europeans are estimated to be stranded across the Gulf states, including those on holiday, in transit or permanently resident in the region.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament on Tuesday (3) that the government was working around the clock to support those affected. "We are also working with airlines on increasing capacity out of Muscat for British nationals, with priority being given to vulnerable nationals," she said. "We will continue to work 24/7 on supporting British nationals in the region. This is a very fast-moving situation, and we have unprecedented numbers of British nationals in the region."
Cooper added that she had been in close contact with her counterparts across the Gulf throughout the crisis.
A government crisis centre has been operating continuously since the strikes began, providing up-to-date guidance for those registered as stranded.
Separately, the Ministry of Defence announced it is deploying HMS Dragon, a Type 45 Destroyer, to the eastern Mediterranean to bolster security around the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus.
The deployment follows a drone strike on the Akrotiri runway which the MoD described as causing "minimal damage." Two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles, designed specifically to counter drone attacks, will also be sent to the region.
Defence secretary John Healey said the move was intended to reinforce Britain's defensive posture. "HMS Dragon brings world-class air defence capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat," he said.
"I am deeply proud of the professionalism and bravery of our Armed Forces personnel who have, in recent days, successfully taken action across the region to protect our allies and defend British interests."
The FCDO said it would continue working with airlines to identify further routes out of the region for British nationals seeking to return home.
(Agencies)
