The Foreign Office has issued updated advice for British travellers heading to the Middle East.
Flights to Dubai, Israel, Doha, Abu Dhabi and other regional hubs have been cancelled en masse after the US and Israel launched a coordinated attack on Iran – prompting retaliatory strikes on American allies in the region.
The UK Foreign Office has advised against travel to all countries currently under attack, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
Brits already in the countries have been urged to ‘immediately shelter in place’ as Iran continues retaliatory strikes following Saturday’s attack by the US and Israel.
Unsurprisingly, the UK government is currently advising against all travel to Iran and Israel.
It has also updated its guidance on Brits travelling to Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey – two of the most popular destinations for British holidaymakers.
For holidaymakers hoping to travel to Turkey, the Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to ‘within 10km of the border with Syria’ due to ‘fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism’.
Smoke rises from Dubai International Airport on Sunday morning as Emirates planes remain grounded
Its updated advice reads: ‘The border remains open visa-free for people travelling on UK or Iranian passports (for stays of up to 90 days).
‘If you are a British national intending to cross the land border from Iran into Turkey, you must request facilitation from the British Embassy in Ankara before travelling to the border.
‘You must state which border point you intend to use and provide personal details (name, date of birth, details of travel document used to enter Turkey). Also indicate whether you are contacting from Iran or from the UK on behalf of a relative.’
The UK government also advises against all travel to parts of Egypt, including North Sinai Governorate and within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border, except for the town of El Salloum where it urges all but essential travel.
All but essential travel has also been advised for the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, as well as Ismailiyah Governorate, east of the Suez Canal.
Varying advice is in place within the regions and surrounding areas, making it essential to check the Foreign Office website for specifics.
Cyprus has also been affected by the conflict after RAF Akrotiri was hit by an Iranian drone.
The MoD confirmed today that family members of British servicemen were evacuated from the site in the wake of the strike ‘as a precautionary measure’.
It added there was minimal damage to the base after the drone attack last night and that operations were continuing as normal.
The Foreign Office is currently urging any Brits flying to Cyprus to ‘take sensible precautions’.
Holidaymakers heading to destinations like Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt may face disruptions to their plans
Anyone already there should ‘follow any instructions from Cypriot local authorities’.
The Foreign Office warns that failing to follow its advice could invalidate your insurance.
Holidaymakers already in affected areas are advised to contact their insurance provider.
If you no longer wish to travel, the UK Civil Aviation Authority explains that if your flight is under UK passenger rights legislation and has been cancelled as a result of the current situation, you may be able to receive a refund.
The authority states: ‘If you chose this option you will need to confirm this with your airline. The airline should provide you with a refund within 7 days.’
Meanwhile, officials drawing up plans for one of its biggest ever peacetime evacuations to rescue British expats stranded in the Middle East.
Around 102,000 Britons have registered with the Foreign Office as the UK draws up plans for one of the biggest evacuations of its citizens in peacetime.
Amongst them is an army of influencers in Dubai, although some have vowed to stay on claiming it is still safer than London despite a wave of Iranian missile strikes and suicide drone attacks on military sites, oil refineries, airports and hotels.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said today there are around 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.
And 94,000 of those have already registered with the Foreign Office as Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers are understood to be drawing up contingency plans to evacuate them over land from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar to Saudi Arabia.
With Iranian missiles and drones still coming, Emirates Airlines confirmed that all flights operating through Dubai have been grounded until 11am GMT on Tuesday at the earliest. Qatar Airways have said that no flights will leave Doha until Tuesday morning, again at the very earliest.
Chaos at airports across the Gulf, including Dubai (pictured), as Iran hit back with drone and missile strikes, stranding 102,000 Brits in a region where 300,000 people from the UK live
British nationals are being told to register their location but stay put, for now. The UK Government has advised against travelling to 21 countries in the Middle East and the wider region.
Ms Cooper said: ‘We are setting up the support systems because as well as the 94,000 people who have been in touch when we set up the “register your presence” system, there’s an estimated 300,000 British citizens in Gulf countries that have now been targeted by Iran, including countries where now airspace is closed as a result of those attacks.
‘That is, of course, extremely stressful for people who include holidaymakers and transit passengers at airports, people who have gone there for business trips, as well as those who live in the region as well.
‘So we’re saying to people, the most important thing at the moment is to follow the local advice, which in most places is around sheltering in place, and we are sending out rapid deployment teams to the region to work with the travel industry, to work with local governments as well, to make sure that citizens can get support.
‘Of course, we want people to get safely home as swiftly as possible.’ Asked if evacuation plans were being drawn up she said: ‘We are working on every possible option’ in a media round where she said it was ‘not in the UK’s interests’ to join Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran.
It came as Iran struck RAF Akrotiri last night with a ‘kamikaze’ attack drone after Sir Keir Starmer U-turned on a US request to use British military bases to hit back at Iran’s missile sites.
This morning there was a dispersal order issued for non-essential personnel at the RAF’s Cyprus hub. Families were told to pack a bag with essentials to last three to five days – although their pets will have to be left behind with ‘appropriate care’.
‘Please remain in place until directed to move by station authorities. This will be done in street order’, the British Forces memo said.
