UK Opens Charter Flight Booking Portal for Britons in Dubai

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office opened a booking portal for British nationals in Dubai to access government charter flights out of the Middle East region following widespread flight cancellations.

The Foreign Office began operating charter flights from Muscat, Oman earlier in the same week, and by 8 March 2026, two flights had already returned to the UK. The opening of the Dubai booking portal came as thousands of commercial flights were cancelled across the Middle East in the days prior.

A charter flight from Dubai was scheduled for early in the week of 8 March 2026, providing an additional route for British nationals seeking to leave the region. The Foreign Office stated that the most vulnerable British nationals would be given priority for booking onto these flights.

The department announced that it would contact those who had registered their presence in the region to arrange places on the government-organised flights. This process was set up to manage demand and ensure that those in greatest need could access available seats.

What the numbers show

• Thousands of flights were cancelled in the Middle East before 8 March 2026
• Two charter flights from Muscat, Oman had returned to the UK by 8 March 2026
• A Dubai charter flight was scheduled for early the week of 8 March 2026

The Foreign Office’s charter flight operations began in Oman, with the first flights departing from Muscat and successfully reaching the UK. The addition of Dubai as a departure point expanded the options available for British nationals affected by the travel disruptions.

British nationals in the region were advised to register their presence with the Foreign Office to be eligible for the charter flights. The department confirmed that it would reach out to those registered to coordinate travel arrangements.

Priority for booking was assigned to the most vulnerable individuals, according to the Foreign Office’s published guidance. This approach aimed to address the needs of those facing the greatest challenges due to the ongoing flight cancellations.

The UK government’s measures followed a period of significant disruption to commercial air travel across the Middle East, with thousands of flights cancelled in the week leading up to the charter flight operations. The Foreign Office’s actions were intended to provide a means of departure for British nationals unable to secure commercial flights.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.