SPECIAL CHARTER FLIGHTS BRING 30,000 BRITISH TRAVELLERS BACK HOME

More than 30,000 British travellers have returned to the UK on 142 special Government charter flights from 27 different countries and territories since the outbreak of coronavirus.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff have been working around the clock with the airline industry and host governments across the world to help bring back British travellers.

Up to £75 million has been made available for special charter flights to priority countries, focused on helping the most vulnerable travellers.

So far, charter flights have returned British nationals to the UK from countries ranging from Bolivia to Bermuda and New Zealand to Nepal.

Government staff have also helped ensure travellers on commercial routes can get home, including 200,000 passengers who have returned from Spain.

Around 300 British nationals have returned from Kenya on five commercial flights, which would not have been possible without the work of our High Commission in Nairobi.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also helped more than 19,000 British passengers who were aboard 60 cruise ships disembark.

A package of measures to support British nationals who are still waiting to return to the UK has also been put in place.

The support package addresses financial issues, healthcare concerns and visa extensions, as well as loans for those who cannot afford flights to the UK where they have exhausted all other options.