The first scheduled deportation charter of 2026, intended to send back individuals seeking refuge who arrived in the UK via small boats has been cancelled, it has been learned.
Individuals earmarked for the government's 'one in, one out' scheme and who held tickets for a midweek flight were notified that their removal had been cancelled.
"I came on a vessel with approximately eighty people onboard," said one detainee whose removal was scrapped. "A group of ten of us were taken into custody, while the other 70 were taken to hotels to have their claims assessed here. That doesn't seem fair. I was delighted when our flight were called off, but the officers refused to tell us a reason. When I asked, they responded, 'we can't tell you why.'"
A First Cancellation for the Policy
This is believed to be the initial occasion a returns removal charter flight has been grounded, though it is not believed to be a result of court challenges.
Inmate Report Circulated Before Flight Halt
The flight's scrapping comes after the circulation of a report on Monday, compiled by eighty individuals held in an detention facility near a major UK airport.
The account highlights concerns that while the majority of those arriving on dinghies are having their applications processed within the UK, a smaller group has been detained and issued with removal directions. The men are said to view their detention as "unjust and prejudicial."
The document states: "We are not considered criminals. We are people who escaped war, persecution, and hardship. We traveled to the UK with faith in human rights, freedom, and protection. Instead, we are detained, isolated, and silenced."
Financial Repercussions of Charter Cancellations
When a deportation charter is cancelled at short notice, the government may face penalty payments amounting to tens of thousands of sterling to the plane leasing company. The exact arrangements for cross-Channel removal flights are not publicly known.
According to sources involved in such deportations, the average cost for a one removal flight is around £250,000.
Earlier data published for 2022 showed the mean expense was about £180,000, with prices varying based on the type of aircraft, route, and other factors.
Government Response
A representative said: "As a matter of a long-established government policy to refrain from commenting on operational matters."
