Airline hired by UK to remove refugees to Rwanda pulls out of scheme

Charter airline Privilege Style won’t fly to Rwanda after bowing to public pressure

Privilege Style will not operate flights to Rwanda in the future (REUTERS)

The charter airline that was hired by the UK government to remove asylum seekers to Rwanda has pulled out of the scheme following a wave of public pressure.

Privilege Style supplied the plane for the first flight under the Rwanda deportation scheme. The flight was grounded at the 11th hour in June after a last-minute ruling from the European Court of Human Rights.

Since the failed flight, Privilege Style have been targetted by activists, who have called on the company to leave the controversial scheme.

Now the airline has confirmed in a letter to human rights group Freedom from Torture that they will no longer take part.

They said: “To the attention of the Freedom From Torture association, Privilege Style, a Spanish charter airline based in Palma de Mallorca, hereby wishes to communicate the following.

“That it will not operate flights to Rwanda in the future. That it has never flown to Rwanda since the one flight scheduled for June 2022 (which is the reason for this controversy) was suspended.”

The Home Office says the policy will deter people arriving in the UK through ‘illegal, dangerous or unnecessary methods’ (Getty Images)

The government has agreed a five-year trial with Rwanda that will see some asylum seekers who arrive in the UK sent to the east African country on a one-way ticket.

The Home Office says the policy will deter people arriving in the UK through “illegal, dangerous or unnecessary methods”. Charities have disputed this claim and argue that the policy is a token gesture that will not reduce illegal migration to the UK.

Almost 37,000 migrants have arrived in the UK this year on small boat crossings of the Channel.

Two other charter airlines, who have previously conducted deportation flights for the UK government - Titan Airways and Airtanker - have ruled themselves out of the Rwanda deportations, the charity Freedom from Torture said.

Kolbassia Haoussou, a torture survivor and director at Freedom from Torture, said: “This is a victory for people power - for thousands up and down the country who took action and for the torture survivors who stood up against the UK government’s cruel ‘cash for humans’ Rwanda scheme.

“With Privilege Style pulling out, the wheels are coming off the government’s dodgy Rwanda deal: whoever succeeds Liz Truss as Prime Minister should put an end to this inhumane plan once and for all.”

Privilege Style’s decision to withdraw from the scheme follows a number of activist stunts targetting the airline.

Two campaigners stormed the stage at the international aviation festival conference in Amsterdam on 5 October.

Freedom from Torture also protested in front of the headquarters of Privilege Style in Palma, and gave the company the “worst airline of the year” award.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We remain committed to our world-leading Migration Partnership with Rwanda, which will see those who come to the UK through dangerous, illegal and unnecessary routes relocated to Rwanda to rebuild their lives there.

“Rwanda is a safe and secure country with a strong track record of supporting asylum seekers and we will continue to robustly defend the partnership in the courts.

“We do not comment on operational matters.”