Some British nationals stranded in the Middle East are due to be flown home later on Wednesday as Iranian missile and drone attacks against the Gulf continue to ground flights.
A chartered plane is due to leave Muscat International Airport in Oman at 23:00 local time (19:00 GMT), with the most vulnerable prioritised for a seat.
More than 130,000 Britons have registered their interest in being helped to leave the region since war between the US and Israel and Iran broke out on Saturday.
British officials are looking at further ways to respond to what has been described as the biggest disruption to travel since the Covid-19 pandemic, with thousands of flights grounded across the region.
The Gulf serves as a hub for several major airlines and is home to some of the world’s busiest airports, serving passengers travelling to the region or transiting to further afield.
But airspace over the Middle East remains severely restricted, with flights completely or partially grounded over Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel.
Vox report that the announcement was made by the Oman repatriation flights, the UK Foreign Office said some British nationals, their spouse or partner, and children under 18 will be invited to board the aircraft leaving on Wednesday.
UK nationals who have left places like Dubai in the UAE for Oman ahead of the flight are being told to register their interest in returning to the UK on a charter plane, though demand is highly likely to outstrip the capacity of the single aircraft leaving on Wednesday.
The Foreign Office said it would “continue to work with airlines to find more routes for people to return home”, and has advised against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
