Airline hired for UK's Rwanda deportations pulls out of scheme [View all]

Source: The Guardian

Airline hired for UK’s Rwanda deportations pulls out of scheme

Exclusive: Privilege Style causes problem for Home Office as it bows to pressure from campaigners

Rajeev Syal Home affairs editor
Fri 21 Oct 2022 11.37 BST
Last modified on Fri 21 Oct 2022 13.08 BST

A charter airline hired to remove people seeking refuge in the UK to Rwanda has pulled out of the scheme after pressure from campaigners.

A plane operated by Privilege Style first attempted to fly asylum seekers to the east African country in June but was grounded by an 11th hour ruling by the European court of human rights.

The Mallorca-based carrier had become known as the UK government’s “airline of last resort” for its willingness to conduct deportation flights that other airlines refused.

But after an email campaign by torture survivors and refugee organisations, Privilege Style has said it will no longer operate flights to Rwanda.

The development will leave the UK government in a fix. ...

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/21/airline-hired-uk-rwanda-deportations-pulls-out-privilege-style