A British couple have returned to the United Kingdom on the first government chartered flight from the Middle East after sheltering in a car park beneath their hotel in Dubai. Amelia Reid and Samuel Sharp said they slept alongside around 100 others after alarms sounded, describing days of tension following strikes in the region. They travelled for more than 40 hours to reach London Stansted, including a coach journey to Muscat in Oman.

Thousands of British nationals remain stranded after military action involving the United States, Israel and Iran led to retaliatory strikes. More than 140,000 Britons have registered their presence in the region with the Foreign Office, and 4,000 have returned home so far. Muscat has become a key departure point, reachable by road from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Passengers described long waits and last-minute delays before the charter flight finally departed. Some families spent more than a day inside Muscat airport after being told the pilot had exceeded permitted working hours. Despite the disruption, several travellers praised government staff for their efforts, while the Prime Minister said many families in the United Kingdom remain deeply worried as the conflict could continue for some time.