Delayed UK rescue flight leaves stranded Britons frustrated as Middle East conflict disrupts travel

A UK government-chartered flight meant to evacuate British nationals from the Middle East has been delayed after problems boarding passengers, leaving some travellers angry and distressed as the regional war continues to disrupt flights. The plane was scheduled to depart from Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Wednesday night but never took off. Ministers say it is now expected to leave on Thursday.

Home Office minister Alex Norris said the delay was due to operational problems. “It didn’t take off because there are operational reasons … about getting passengers on board, and it wasn’t able to happen in the time that it had to happen. So that’s now going to go today instead.”

The flight is part of an effort to bring home thousands of Britons caught up in travel chaos after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliation across the region.

The UK government says about 138,000 British nationals in the Gulf have registered for updates and assistance, with roughly 112,000 of them in the United Arab Emirates.

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told MPs the government is working to bring people home “as swiftly as possible”, but warned that the situation is complex. He described it as “a consular challenge on a scale not seen since Covid” and said there were “no instant solutions”.

More government flights are planned, although ministers say commercial services will likely remain the fastest way for many travellers to get home.

Ten commercial flights were expected to leave the region on Thursday, and more than 2,000 passengers returned to the UK on eight flights the day before.

Who can take the charter flights?

Seats on the government charter planes are not free, and only certain passengers qualify. Priority is being given to the most vulnerable people, and only British nationals along with their spouse or partner and children under 18 are eligible.

The evacuation effort has sparked criticism from opposition politicians. Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said bringing people home is “an enormous exercise and ministers must be honest about all their actions”. She also questioned why “Britain was so woefully unprepared” for the conflict.

In response, ministers say the situation has been complicated by widespread airspace restrictions across the Middle East. Flights remain limited or suspended over several countries including Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel.

Dubai, one of the world’s busiest international travel hubs, was hit by Iranian missile strikes over the weekend, damaging several buildings including luxury hotels and parts of the airport.

Despite the disruption, some commercial services have restarted. British Airways and Emirates flights from the region landed in the UK on Thursday morning, while additional flights from Muscat are planned in the coming days.

Muscat has become a key exit point for travellers trying to leave the region because it remains largely unaffected by the fighting. Journeys of roughly 300 miles from cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi have made the Omani capital a vital escape route for people trying to reach functioning airports.

Meanwhile, the UK government is also boosting military protection in the region, with the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon set to deploy to the Mediterranean to help defend the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus after it was struck by an Iranian drone.

With the conflict still escalating, thousands of British nationals are still waiting for a route home.