PRESS RELEASE : UK charters flight to help British nationals leave Lebanon [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2024.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy announces that the UK has chartered a flight to help British citizens seeking to leave Lebanon.

• the UK has chartered a flight to help meet any additional demand British nationals and their dependants wanting to leave Lebanon
• the flight is scheduled to leave Beirut on Wednesday 2 October. Any further flights in the coming days will depend on demand and the security situation on the ground
• vulnerable British nationals will be prioritised for this flight

The UK government has chartered a commercial flight out of Lebanon to help British nationals wanting to leave following escalating violence in the region, the Foreign Secretary announced on Monday (30 September).

British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document. Dependants who are not British nationals will require valid visas/permission to enter or remain that was granted for more than 6 months.

The government has worked with partners in recent weeks to increase capacity on commercial flights to enable British nationals to leave, and has now chartered a flight to provide additional capacity.

The flight is due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday (2 October). Those who have registered their presence with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) will be sent details on how to request a seat.

If you’re a British national in Lebanon and have not already registered your presence there, you should do so immediately.

Vulnerable British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18, will be prioritised for this flight. This includes those with greatest need, including those with medical conditions, over-65s and children. British nationals should not make their way to the airport unless they have a confirmed seat on the plane.

Any non-British dependants boarding the flight will require a visa, granted for at least 6 months, to enter the UK, in line with usual immigration rules and entry process.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

The situation in Lebanon is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly.

The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority.

That’s why the UK government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed.

UK government officials have been working non-stop in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals to continue contingency planning for a range of scenarios in the region.  An FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.

The safety of British nationals in Lebanon, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) continues to be the UK government’s utmost priority and the FCDO urges everyone to continue to follow the relevant travel advice, exercise caution, and monitor media in Lebanon for developments.

The UK has been calling for a ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel for over a week and that further escalation must be avoided. A ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution in line with Resolution 1701.