UKBA Charter Flights April to November 2010

1. UK Border Agency has participated in 39 charter flights so far during this financial year (April to 10 November 2010).

17 flights to Afghanistan

3 flights to Jamaica

7 flights to Iraq

6 flights to Nigeria

1 flight to the Democratic Republic of Congo

2 joint flights to Nigeria and Cameroon and

3 joint flights to Kosovo and Albania.

The total number of people returned by the UK Border Agency on charter flights during this period was 1239 (up to 11th November).

This comprised

1,157 adult males

81 adult females

and 1 child

67 UKBA Charter flights in 2009/2010 costing £10.3 million

'Freemovement' requested information on Charter flights removing persons from the UK who have breached UK immigration rules.

The request was dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

1. In the financial year April 2009/March 2010 how many charter flights took place?

The number of charter flights in which UK Border Agency participated in the last financial year was 67. 

[ Average number of removees 32 per flight]

[ Average cost of removing each person £4,804 ]

[ Average cost of each flight £153,731.34 ]

2. To which countries did they fly?

In 2009 (to 8 December), 67 charter flights were conducted to the following destination countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Congo (Brazzaville), Cameroon, Iraq, Jamaica, Kosovo and Nigeria.

3. How many persons were removed: male/female/children?

There were 2144 cumulative removals on charter aircraft in financial year April 2009 to March 2010.

This can be broken down to 1,973 adult males, 136 adult females and 35 children.

4. What if any were the operational names of the flights?

The Operational names of each flight carried out in financial year April 2009/March 2010 are

Operation Consimilar (Iraq),

Operation Castor (Democratic Republic of Congo),

Operation Photon (Cameroon)

Operation Rangat (Iraq),

Operation Ravel (Afghanistan),

Operation Majestic (Nigeria),

Operation Waldrop (Jamaica) and

Operation Aardvark (Kosovo/Albania).

5. What was the total cost of the flights?
The Charter flight costs for the last year were £10,300,000*.

* The total cost of charter flights includes administration cost plus cancellation fees.