The UK government charters aeroplanes to remove large numbers of people from the UK at one time. Through FOI requests and monitoring public flight records, the UK Deportations and Removals monitor found that there are 1 or 2 flights each week.

In 2023, there were 60 charter flights removing 2622 people from the UK. This is approximately one third of all of the enforced returns that year. On average, 44 people were removed from the UK on each flight. There was an average of 75 "escorts" on each flight. The Home Office confirmed that these escorts used force against people being removed 33 times in 2023, on 25 flights - almost half of the charter flights that year.

Analytics

The following charts display data from 01.01.2023 and are updated as more information is added to the database.

Charter flights by destination country

The majority of charter flights are to Albania.

Almost all charter flights are to Albania or Romania, but in 2023 there was one to Poland and one to Somalia, each carrying only one person. A charter flight to Jamaica was scheduled but was then cancelled.

Airlines operating charter flights

The Home Office generally contracts with the same airlines each year to carry out charter flights. These airlines all make money from carrying out charter flights for the UK government.

Since 2023, the majority have been operated by EuroAtlantic Airways.

UK departure airports

Charter flights tend to leave from one of four UK airports. They most frequently depart from London Stansted.