Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is holding discussions with the airline industry on the emergence of above-market-rate ticket prices for repatriation flights.

Ministers and officials are meeting regularly with the aviation sector. The Government is absolutely focused on working with the sector to ensure that UK citizens can make their way home.

We have agreed with airlines that they will keep as many commercial routes open as they can, for as long as they can. We are working with international partners to facilitate this.

In some countries where commercial routes are no longer an option, we have worked with airlines to charter their aircraft to help stranded British travellers return home.

The government is paying for these flights but we have a responsibility to the taxpayer. Therefore, we are asking passengers to pay a share of the overall cost. Flights are costed differently based on country of origin however the ticket cost only reflects a proportion of the overall costs. Foreign Office officials will be able to offer support to British travellers unable to pay including an emergency loan as a last resort.