Five more special chartered flights have been arranged to return British nationals, stranded in Bangladesh due to the coronavirus-induced ban of passenger flights, return to the UK.
British High Commissioner to Dhaka Robert Chatterton Dickson confirmed the matter on Sunday, reports UNB.
The flights are scheduled to leave Dhaka for London on April 29, May 1, May 3, May 5, and May 7.
Four such special flights have already left Dhaka for London, the last of which left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday afternoon at 3:15pm with 168 passengers, informed Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan, director of the airport.
"The High Commission has now organized five further flights which will run from Dhaka on April 29, May 1, May 3, May 5, and May 7, again with a connection from Sylhet," the British High Commissioner said in a video message.
He urged UK nationals to reserve seats on those flights using the Corporate Travel Management (CTM) directions, which were published in the British High Commission website.
He also asked those who have already booked with CTM to not do so again because a subsequent booking will only confuse the system and delay departure.
The High Commissioner said that their policy for prioritizing the most vulnerable members of the community for space on these flights will continue.
"You’ll receive notice to travel 24 hours before your flight so please keep a close eye on your email and your spam and junk folders and be ready to travel at short notice," he said.
If anybody is currently in Sylhet, he or she will also have the option of booking a domestic transfer from Sylhet to Dhaka ahead of the flights on April 29, May 1, May 5 , May 7.
There will be no domestic transfer option available ahead of the flight to the UK May 3.
These flights cost £600 per person, whether anyone is departing from Sylhet or Dhaka. The airlines have also imposed strict limits on baggage for these flights.
There are currently no commercial options available to return to the UK from Bangladesh due to flight restrictions announced by the Government of Bangladesh.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has extended the suspension of its domestic and international flights, including from the UK until April 30.
China Southern and US-Bangla airlines are still operating flights to China, but these are for Chinese nationals only.