Airlines Etihad and Emirates have confirmed they will continue running a limited number of services from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to the UK over the next few days.
And Emirates said it was working to restore full network operations, following the partial re-opening of regional airspace.
Thousands of flights in the Middle East have been cancelled in the past week, leaving many Britons stranded. This followed US-Israeli strikes on Iran which in turn prompted retaliatory strikes by Iran across the region.
A second government chartered flight to bring home UK nationals from the Middle East landed at Gatwick Airport at 00:30 GMT on Saturday. The flight departed from Oman’s capital Muscat on Friday, the Foreign Office confirmed.
The first flight, which landed at Stansted Airport on Friday morning, was delayed by 24 hours following “technical issues”.
But a government minister said commercial flights are “by far the most likely and the most rapid” routes out.
While new flights have been announced, the conflict is rapidly evolving, and circumstances around air travel could change quickly.
Which flights are departing from the UAE?
Etihad has announced that it will begin operating limited flights from Abu Dhabi starting from Friday.
It said the decision has followed “extensive safety and security assessments”.
These new flights will be travelling to London Heathrow and Manchester in the UK, as well as European cities such as Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Rome, Paris, and Milan.
Passengers with previous bookings will be prioritised, the airline said, although tickets are also available to buy on its website.
The airline has warned travellers against turning up to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad or hold a confirmed booking on one of the new flights.
New commercial flights out of Dubai have also been announced by Emirates. They are open for booking but customers with earlier bookings will be prioritised, the airline said.
Flights to Manchester, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Edinburgh are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Passengers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted on one of these flights if their connecting flight is operating as planned.
Emirates said it carried about 30,000 passengers out of Dubai on Thursday and has operated 35 flights to the UK since resuming services.
The airline added that by Saturday it would have 106 return daily flights going to 83 destinations. For the UK, it would be operating 11 daily flights across five airports by Saturday, it said.
The BBC’s Nick Beake, who was at Dubai Airport on Friday morning, said it felt calm and quiet on Friday, with a steady stream of passengers arriving. He added that there was no visible gathering of expats trying to leave.
Are there any flights leaving Qatar?
There are still no commercial flights leaving Qatar following the temporary closure of Qatari airspace, which has been mandated by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.
Qatar Airways said it will update passengers by 09:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Saturday, adding that it has been “working around the clock to organise additional relief flights where operationally possible”.
Passengers affected by the disruption will be contacted directly by the airline with any next steps, and travellers have been told not to go to the airport unless they have received an official flight confirmation.
Many travellers have headed to Oman to secure a seat on a flight back to the UK [Reuters]
Are flights from Oman running?
Flights from Oman are currently running, and Muscat has emerged as a key location for people wanting to leave the Middle East.
British Airways on Friday announced more flights from Oman to London Heathrow. They are scheduled to depart at 02:30 local time daily from 9 to 12 March.
These new flights are for BA customers who are in Oman or the UAE with an existing booking, the airline said.
BA’s flights from Oman to London Heathrow on 6, 7 and 8 March are already fully booked.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the government has been working with commercial airlines to help Britons in the Middle East get home.
He also said the government was hoping to organise more charter flights out of Oman over the “coming hours and coming days”.
He raised the issue of getting people in the region to the airport in Oman to get on charter flights, adding that they “have to be able to travel safely in buses and cars without being hit by drone or missile fire”.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said commercial flights were “by far the most likely and the most rapid” routes out of the region, after the government’s charter flight was delayed by almost a day.
What about Bahrain flights?
The airspace above Bahrain is closed, meaning there are no flights departing from the airport.
Gulf Air, which operates in Bahrain International Airport, said it would update passengers on Saturday at 11:00 local time (08:00 GMT).
Can I fly to the Middle East from the UK?
The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar.
While most flights to the Middle East from the UK have been cancelled following the missile strikes, some are still operating.
Kuwait Airways has announced a flight from Manchester to Dammam Airport leaving at 10:00 GMT on Saturday for those looking to return to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, several Virgin Atlantic and Emirates flights are scheduled to depart London Heathrow for Dubai on Friday and Saturday.
Correction: This article originally described Hamish Falconer as a Home Office minister and has been amended to make clear that he’s a Foreign Office minister.
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