Government ‘looking at all options’ to support Britons as some flights resume

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Sir Keir Starmer has stated the Authorities is “taking a look at all choices to assist our individuals” as a flight from Abu Dhabi landed in London.

Etihad Airways flight EY67, carrying stranded UK nationals, departed from the United Arab Emirates capital on Monday afternoon and landed at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 at 7.17pm, in accordance with flight monitoring firm Flightradar24.

Larges areas of airspace remained closed throughout the Center East amid the intensifying battle between Iran and US-Israeli forces.

The Prime Minister stated the scenario on the bottom “might stay difficult for a while” however that the Authorities was “taking a look at all choices to assist our individuals”.

He instructed the Commons: “We’re asking all British residents within the area to register their presence so we are able to present the very best assist and to watch the Residence Workplace journey recommendation, which is being frequently up to date.

“Throughout a lot of the area, airspace stays closed, and native authorities are advising people to shelter in place.

“The scenario on the bottom might stay difficult for a while, so we’re sending speedy deployment groups to the area to assist our British nationals on the bottom.

“And we’re in shut contact with the journey trade and governments within the area, together with with our mates within the UAE (United Arab Emirates), given the focus of British nationals in that nation, and we’re taking a look at all choices to assist our individuals.

“We wish to be sure that they will return dwelling as swiftly and safely as attainable.

“The FCDO (International, Commonwealth & Improvement Workplace) cellphone traces are open to supply consular assist, and ministers can be found to satisfy MPs to debate any particular person circumstances.”

In a publish on X, the Authorities of Dubai Media Workplace stated on Monday afternoon that airways Emirates and Flydubai would start working a restricted variety of flights, with precedence being given to prospects with earlier bookings.

Some 15 Etihad Airways flights departed from Abu Dhabi in a three-hour window on Monday, which Flightradar24 stated had been “probably serving to to clear transit passengers who’ve been caught there for the reason that begin of the battle”.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline continued to inform passengers to not journey to the airport except they’d been contacted straight and suggested to take action.

In its newest assertion on X, Etihad Airways stated: “All Etihad’s scheduled industrial flights to and from Abu Dhabi stay suspended till 14:00 UAE time (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday March 4.

“Some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights might function in co-ordination with UAE authorities and topic to strict operational and security approvals. Friends mustn’t journey to the airport except they’ve been contacted straight by Etihad and suggested to take action.”

International Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that 102,000 British nationals had registered their presence within the area.

She stated a complete of about 300,000 British residents had been in Gulf nations focused by Iran.

British nationals are being suggested to comply with the directions of native authorities and monitor the International Workplace’s journey recommendation, which officers count on to alter quickly.

These in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the UAE have been urged to register their presence with the International Workplace on-line.

Airspace closures within the Center East have resulted in quite a lot of industrial flights being grounded for the reason that assaults started on Saturday.

Greater than a 3rd of the flights scheduled to depart from the UK to the area on Monday had been cancelled.

Analytics firm Cirium stated 49 of 144 flights had been axed.

British Airways (BA) stated it was “carefully monitoring the scenario” and had cancelled “quite a lot of our flights to the Center East”.

Virgin Atlantic axed two flights to Heathrow on Monday – one from every of Dubai, UAE, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – whereas others had been rerouted.

EasyJet and BA have additionally cancelled some flights to Cyprus after a drone hit RAF Akrotiri on the island.

As of Monday, the International Workplace can also be advising towards journey to Jordan, usually thought of one of many Center East’s most secure and peaceable nations, in “all however important” circumstances.

It’s understood International Workplace officers are engaged on contingency plans if the airspace stays closed.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Journey, stated: “A number of airways have now cancelled some flights to Cyprus as a result of ongoing scenario within the Center East.

“Passengers as a result of journey have to be provided the selection of a refund or rerouting on airways which can be nonetheless flying.

“As well as, some carriers are providing passengers the possibility to maneuver their reserving to a later date.

“In case you have a vacation booked to Cyprus, it’s important to not cancel the reserving your self as it’s unlikely it is possible for you to to say a refund.

“We advise travellers to watch updates from their airline and comply with recommendation from the UK International Workplace.”