"67 UKBA Charter flights in 2009/2010 costing £10.3 million

The request was dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

1. In the financial year April 2009/March 2010 how many charter flights took place?

The number of charter flights in which UK Border Agency participated in the last financial year was 67.

[ Average number of removees 32 per flight]

[ Average cost of removing each person £4,804 ]

[ Average cost of each flight £153,731.34 ]

2. To which countries did they fly?

In 2009 (to 8 December), 67 charter flights were conducted to the following destination countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Congo (Brazzaville), Cameroon, Iraq, Jamaica, Kosovo and Nigeria.

3. How many persons were removed: male/female/children?

There were 2144 cumulative removals on charter aircraft in financial year April 2009 to March 2010.

This can be broken down to 1973 adult males, 136 adult females and 35 children.

4. What if any were the operational names of the flights?

The Operational names of each flight carried out in financial year April 2009/March 2010 are

Operation Consimilar (Iraq),

Operation Castor (Democratic Republic of Congo),

Operation Photon (Cameroon)

Operation Rangat (Iraq),

Operation Ravel (Afghanistan),

Operation Majestic (Nigeria),

Operation Waldrop (Jamaica) and

Operation Aardvark (Kosovo/Albania).

5. What was the total cost of the flights?

The Charter flight costs for the last year were £10,300,000*.

* The total cost of charter flights includes administration cost plus cancellation fees."

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