"Passengers Banging Windows": Flight To Rescue UK Nationals Stuck In Oman

A UK government effort to evacuate vulnerable British nationals from the Middle East has descended into chaos after a chartered flight was grounded in Oman. The commercial airliner, meant to transport citizens from Muscat, failed to depart yesterday evening because the pilot was forced to take mandatory rest following extensive delays.

The evacuation is part of a wider emergency response to the escalating military conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the US. With over 130,000 British citizens currently registered across the Gulf and major hubs like Dubai facing heavy flight cancellations, the UK Foreign Office has prioritised Muscat as a key exit point for those most at risk.

However, the operation hit a major hurdle during a problematic check-in process that reportedly lasted four hours due to technical failures. After clearing check-in, passengers were held on transit buses for an additional ninety minutes in cramped conditions.

A passenger who was due to travel on the flight, but wished to remain anonymous, said that people had "panic attacks" while on the flight that never took off.

They told Sky News: "The check-in process took about four hours due to technical issues. We then got taken to the plane on a bus but had to stay on it for about one-and-a-half hours.

"No consular staff were present airside. They just left us. People started getting very agitated, banging windows, panic attacks.There are dozens and dozens of vulnerable people, young children and families."

The grounding has sparked concerns over the Foreign Office's ability to manage the high volume of citizens seeking to leave the region. Officials have not yet confirmed when a replacement crew will be available to complete the journey.

According to BBC, The Foreign Office said two more chartered flights would depart by the end of the week.Those eligible for the government flights are being asked to pay for their seat. UK PM Keir Starmer told MPs there would be eight commercial flights leaving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday.

Foreign Office officials said 138,000 British nationals in the Gulf had registered their presence, of whom 112,000 were in the UAE.

Poppy Cleary, 27, is one of those stranded in Muscat after her flight from Singapore was diverted to Oman on Saturday.

"I registered, I paid the £350 and then I never heard back," she told BBC's Your Voice.

She said the British Embassy in Oman told her that the first flight was not for people who had been diverted to Muscat, but instead for people who had come to Oman from "unsafe countries" including the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

"Clearly I didn't get on the flight - it's a bit frustrating that they couldn't even let me know that I hadn't made the cut."