UK government to bring home more British travellers from Central and South America
Over 400 British travellers will be able to return home from 6 Central and South American countries on the latest special charter flights organised by the UK government.
Over 400 British travellers will be able to return home from 6 Central and South American countries on the latest special charter flights organised by the UK government.
Two transatlantic flights, from Costa Rica and Ecuador, will leave for London Heathrow on 11 June. Sweeper flights will take British travellers from Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Chile to Costa Rica and Ecuador for the transatlantic flights.
The details of the charter flights are as follows:
- 11 June: San Jose, Costa Rica to London Heathrow
- 11 June: Quito, Ecuador to London Heathrow
This follows UK government chartered flights from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Honduras bringing back over 2,100 British travellers and their families.
Foreign Office Minister for the Americas, Wendy Morton said:
This is a complex operation with British travellers wanting to return home from across Central and South America.
We have already brought home over 2,100 British travellers from the region on charter flights and these two additional flights will bring home hundreds more.
Our teams across the region are doing everything they can to get as many people as possible home to their families and will continue to provide support to British nationals who remain.
Initial priority will be given to short term British travellers who are vulnerable. This includes those over 70 and others who have medical requirements, those travelling with young children, and those located in more remote or at-risk areas.
The UK government is working with the airline industry and host governments across the world to bring back British travellers to the UK as part of the plan announced by the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (30 March) - with up to £75 million available for special charter flights to priority countries, focused on helping the most vulnerable travellers.
Background
- the charter flights are for short-term British travellers who normally reside in the UK, as well as their direct dependants. Non-British citizens with appropriate residency rights will be included if there is capacity
- to register their details and interest in these flights, British travellers should check the FCO Travel Advice pages
- British travellers who have registered their interest in returning to the UK on a chartered flight will be contacted by the British mission in their country or territory explaining how to book these flights. Anyone who has not yet registered their interest should contact their local British mission using the details in the FCO’s country travel advice
- those who are eligible to fly will be sent information on getting to airports and flight itineraries directly when their seat is confirmed
- details regarding luggage allowance, flight costs and carriers will be available on the booking portal
- our dedicated consular teams across Central and South America will continue to provide consular support to any British travellers seeking to return to the UK that have been unable to do so
- guidance on how to book onto a government charter flight back to the UK can be found here