Evacuees recount frantic journeys to board the first UK government flight from Oman

British nationals who arrived in the UK on the first government-arranged evacuation flight from the Middle East have described chaotic journeys across borders as they tried to secure seats on the aircraft.

The flight eventually landed at London Stansted Airport at 00:53 GMT on Friday after departing from Muscat, the capital of Oman. Originally scheduled to leave on Wednesday night, the aircraft’s departure was delayed by nearly 24 hours due to technical issues.

The evacuation comes amid escalating conflict in the Middle East after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran across the region. As tensions intensified, more than 140,000 British nationals registered their presence with the UK Foreign Office while seeking ways to return home.

Among the passengers was Dubai resident Fazal Chowdhury, who described the experience as “a little bit surreal”. He said he and his wife decided to leave immediately after reports emerged of attacks affecting the area. The couple drove from Dubai to Muscat and checked into a hotel while waiting for information about the government flight.

Dubai has been among the locations affected by Iranian strikes since the conflict began. Damage has been reported at Dubai International Airport as well as several luxury hotels. Chowdhury said he and his wife registered with the Foreign Office as soon as details of the chartered flight became available and felt fortunate to secure seats.

Although he described the flight delay as “a bit of a shambles”, Chowdhury said communication from the UK government had been good overall and that the situation was handled well considering the circumstances.

Other passengers described similar tense journeys to reach Oman. Amelia Reid and Samuel Sharp had travelled to Dubai the previous Friday for a short holiday but soon found themselves caught up in the crisis.

By Saturday evening, alarms on their phones warned of potential danger, prompting them to take shelter in the basement car park of their hotel. Sharp said around 100 people gathered there after the alerts were issued.

The experience left them feeling anxious for several days. Sharp said they had breakfast in their hotel on Sunday when they suddenly heard what he described as a “massive bang”.

Reid, who uses a wheelchair, said the pair eventually left Dubai around midday on Thursday local time. They travelled to Oman and then boarded a coach from the border to Muscat International Airport in the hope they might be able to board the government flight.

The Foreign Office had advised British nationals not to travel directly to the airport unless they had been contacted by officials. However, travellers who had reached Oman were able to register their presence and wait for further instructions.

Another passenger, who asked not to be identified, described driving to Oman with his wife and young child after deciding to leave Dubai over the weekend.

He said the family then faced a long wait at Muscat International Airport while awaiting the chartered flight. According to the traveller, they spent around 36 hours inside the airport before the aircraft finally departed.

Despite the uncertainty and exhaustion, the passengers eventually boarded the plane and returned safely to the UK.

For many of those arriving at Stansted Airport, the journey marked the end of a stressful escape from a region now facing growing instability and conflict.