Flights chartered to bring stranded British tourists back from Peru

Three British Airways flights have been chartered to bring home hundreds of British tourists stranded in Peru.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced that it has organised the flights from South America to London.

The first flight will depart from Lima on Sunday.

Domestic flights from Cusco and Arequipa to Lima have also been chartered to transfer UK nationals to the repatriation flights.

A British Airways flight organised by the FCO brought 172 British people and their dependants back to the UK from Peru on Thursday.

Seats on this flight were prioritised for people more at risk from the effects of coronavirus, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “The Foreign Office has chartered three more flights for British travellers in Peru – as well as domestic flights to help those in Cusco.

“We continue to work around the clock to help British travellers struggling to get back to the UK and thank the Peruvian government for all their support in making this happen.”

Peru’s commercial transport network has been shut down, meaning regular flights cannot operate and tens of thousands of foreign visitors are stranded.

The FCO said it is in contact with British travellers so they are aware of the flights it has chartered.

British travellers stranded around the world face a race against time to get on flights as airlines ground fleets and countries introduce travel bans.

The FCO has advised UK nationals to return home as soon as possible.