Ten charter flights to take around 2,500 stranded British travelers from Pakistan back home amid COVID-19 flight suspensions
The UK government in collaboration with Pakistan government of Pakistan will be operating a series of special charter flights from Pakistan to take British travelers from Pakistan back home who remained stranded due to the lockdown and flight suspension amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
These extra flights that will begin from April 21 from Islamabad and Lahore for British will facilitate around 2,500 more British nationals.
The new round of chartered flights will include three flights from Islamabad to Heathrow, four flights from Islamabad to Manchester, two flights from Lahore to Heathrow, and one flight from Lahore to Manchester.
“These charter flights will help us to get thousands more back home next week” British High Commissioner to Pakistan said.
More than 7,500 British nationals have already returned to the UK from Pakistan by commercial means.
The British High Commission in Pakistan has asked its nationals on short-term visits to Pakistan to take the earliest available opportunity to return to the UK by visiting the booking portal and completing the online form.
Commenting on the flight updates, Foreign Office Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, said:
“Thousands more British travellers stranded in Pakistan can now fly home thanks to these 10 charter flights. These extra flights will bring around 2,500 more people home – joining the 7,500 British nationals who do not reside in Pakistan who returned on commercial flights following extensive co-operation between the UK and Pakistan governments.”
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner, said:
I know how stressful and difficult the suspension of Pakistan’s international flights has been, leaving so many British travellers unable to get home. There has been a huge effort from the teams across the Pakistan network to help people to return to the UK.
Between 4-12 April, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operated 22 commercial flights. PIA is also expected to operate a limited number of flights, including to Manchester Birmingham and London between 20-26 April.
Flight schedule
The flight schedule is as follows:
- Islamabad to London Heathrow on 21, 22, 23 April
- Islamabad to Manchester on 24, 25, 26, 27 April
- Lahore to London Heathrow on 22, 24 April
- Lahore to Manchester on 26 April
The flights are expected to cost £527 and are free for under two years.
British travelers can visit the Pakistan travel advice page to book seats and get more information.