“The first flight of 2026 to return asylum seekers who came to the UK on small boats to France has been cancelled, the Guardian understands.
Detainees earmarked for the UK government’s “one in, one out” scheme who had tickets for a flight on Wednesday morning to Paris were told their tickets had been cancelled.
It is thought to be the first time a “one in, one out” Home Office deportation charter flight to Paris has been cancelled but it is not thought to be because of a legal challenge.
If the Home Office cancels a deportation charter flight shortly before the plane is due to be used they may have to pay compensation of tens of thousands of pounds to the company the plane is leased from. However, it is not known what the specific arrangements are for the UK to France deportation charters. According to sources involved in Home Office deportations the average cost of one deportation charter is about £250,000.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “It’s a longstanding government policy to not comment on operational matters.”
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“The first flight of 2026 to return asylum seekers who came to the UK on small boats to France has been cancelled, the Guardian understands.
Detainees earmarked for the UK government’s “one in, one out” scheme who had tickets for a flight on Wednesday morning to Paris were told their tickets had been cancelled.
It is thought to be the first time a “one in, one out” Home Office deportation charter flight to Paris has been cancelled but it is not thought to be because of a legal challenge.
If the Home Office cancels a deportation charter flight shortly before the plane is due to be used they may have to pay compensation of tens of thousands of pounds to the company the plane is leased from. However, it is not known what the specific arrangements are for the UK to France deportation charters. According to sources involved in Home Office deportations the average cost of one deportation charter is about £250,000.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “It’s a longstanding government policy to not comment on operational matters.”