Policy paper

Coronavirus (COVID-19) government-assisted return by air: letter to the airline industry

The Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Transport wrote to airlines about the new government-industry partnership to help stranded British travellers.

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Department for Transport, The Rt Hon Dominic Raab and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps
• Published: 30 March 2020

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Documents

Getting British nationals home: government-assisted returns by air

PDF, 332 KB, 2 pages

Details

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps wrote to the airline industry. They welcomed the airlines’ agreement work in partnership to help stranded British travellers during the unprecedented challenge of coronavirus (COVID-19) challenges.

For this joint effort in the national interest, the government will commission a series of special charter flights that airlines will operate on a strict cost-recovery basis, paid by the taxpayer. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office will lead this programme, and the Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will continue to provide senior strategic engagement and operational support.

Find out more in the press release: New government partnership with airlines to fly back more tourists stranded abroad and see our coronavirus (COVID-19) travel advice.

Published 30 March 2020