The first scheduled flight of 2026, intended to return asylum seekers who came in the UK via dinghies has been cancelled, according to reports.
Detainees earmarked for the government's reciprocal returns scheme and who held boarding passes for a midweek departure were notified that their removal had been halted.
"I came on a vessel with approximately eighty people onboard," said one person whose removal was cancelled. "Ten of us were detained, while the other 70 were taken to hotels to have their asylum applications assessed here. That doesn't seem fair. I was relieved when our flight were called off, but the officers refused to tell us a reason. When I asked, they simply said, 'we can't tell you why.'"
An Unprecedented Cancellation for the Policy
This marks the first instance a 'one in, one out' deportation charter flight has been cancelled, though it is not believed to be a result of court challenges.
Detainee Report Published Before Cancellation
The charter's cancellation comes after the release of a report on Monday, prepared by eighty individuals held in an detention facility near a major UK airport.
The account highlights grievances that while the vast number of those who arrive on dinghies are having their asylum claims considered within the UK, a smaller group has been held and issued with deportation orders. The men are said to view their confinement as "unjust and discriminatory."
The document states: "We are not criminals. We are individuals who fled war, persecution, and hardship. We came to the UK believing in fundamental freedoms, liberty, and protection. In contrast, we are detained, separated, and ignored."
Financial Implications of Charter Scrapping
When a removal flight is called off at short notice, the government may face compensation payments amounting to tens of thousands of sterling to the plane leasing company. The specific contract terms for cross-Channel removal flights are not publicly known.
According to sources familiar with such operations, the average cost for a single deportation charter is around £250,000.
Earlier data published for 2022 indicated the mean expense was about £180,000, with prices varying based on the plane model, destination, and other considerations.
Government Statement
A representative declined to comment: "As a matter of a long-established official position to refrain from commenting on specific procedures."
