British Airways Evacuation Flight Returns with Over 100 Empty Seats
A British Airways evacuation flight from the Middle East departed with more than one hundred vacant seats, despite thousands of British citizens registering as stranded in the Gulf region. The twin-jet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated as Flight BA80 from Muscat, Oman, to London Heathrow, touching down at 10.35am on Monday morning.
Limited Passenger Load on Critical Evacuation Mission
Just over one hundred pilots and crew members from British Airways and other airlines were aboard the aircraft, despite its full capacity being approximately three hundred passengers. However, BA's specific seat configuration allows for closer to two hundred and twenty individuals. The flight had originally left Heathrow on Sunday just before 4pm, arriving in Muscat early Monday morning carrying only its pilots.
This development comes as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that a government charter flight would depart from Muscat 'in the coming days', prioritising 'vulnerable nationals'. The Foreign Office is actively working on contingency plans should airspace around the Gulf remain shut down indefinitely.
Regional Turmoil Grounds Commercial Flights
With flights grounded over the weekend due to Iran's continued retaliatory strikes following a joint US-Israel attack, the crew members on the BA flight were transported to Oman from various locations across the Gulf. Major international airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha were closed as Iran targeted locations in response to the attack that killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Times reported that because British Airways does not typically serve Muscat directly, the airline required approval from Omani authorities before landing the evacuation flights. On Tuesday, BA confirmed it would operate additional flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Stranded Passengers Express Frustration
More than 130,000 British citizens have registered their locations with the government, as the Foreign Office advised Britons to shelter in place amid ongoing Iranian strikes. An industry source told The Times: 'It's extraordinary that BA didn't fill their first flight out with passengers desperate to leave the region, as other airlines such as Emirates and Etihad have done. BA takes passenger contact details precisely for such crisis reasons.'
Andrew Rae, a retired ship broker from Gloucestershire, recounted his experience to The Times. He had travelled to Dubai to celebrate his 62nd birthday with family, but saw multiple British Airways flights cancelled. He subsequently booked alternative flights for himself and his wife Emma at a combined cost of £4,000.
Mr Rae stated he would seek compensation from British Airways, saying: 'I feel there has been zero help. We've been left to our own devices. They have sent an empty aircraft to help the crew, which is a positive thing, but haven't bothered to do that for passengers left stranded. For BA to send a plane over and come back with empty seats is frankly pathetic.'
Private Jet Demand Surges as Commercial Options Dwindle
Private jet companies reported a significant increase in outbound bookings from Muscat. EnterJet, a company connecting clients with private aircraft, told the Financial Times that bookings had surged by 40 per cent since Saturday, noting Muscat was 'the only really viable option' for evacuation.
British Airways Responds to the Crisis
A British Airways spokesperson informed the Daily Mail that the airline is currently unable to operate from several airports, including Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman, and Tel Aviv. The spokesperson said: 'We are continuing to do everything we can to support customers and colleagues in the region and are in regular contact with them.'
The spokesperson confirmed a BA flight would depart Oman for London at 2.30am local time on March 5, adding: 'Existing customers who are in Oman can let us know they wish to travel on these flights via a dedicated phone line: +44 203 467 3854.'
While some flights have successfully returned British nationals to the UK, the majority remain cancelled. British Airways has stated that customers scheduled to fly between Heathrow and Middle Eastern airports up to and including March 15 can change their flights free of charge or request a refund, subject to specific conditions.
