Rwanda’s national airline reportedly declines to transport asylum seekers to Kigali, delivering a setback to Rishi Sunak’s plans
RwandAir has reportedly turned down an approach from the Government to fly asylum seekers to Kigali as campaigners call on airlines to refuse to take part in the asylum scheme
Rishi Sunak’s flagship asylum project took another blow after Rwanda’s state-owned airlines reportedly refused to fly asylum seekers there.
RwandAir is understood to have turned down an approach by the Government to fly asylum seekers to the African nation. Insiders said bosses were worried about the damage it would do to its brand.
Ministers are desperately scrabbling to bring airlines onboard. But it comes as campaigners called on travel firms not to be complicit in the "inhumane" project, which has already cost taxpayers millions of pounds without a single asylum seeker being sent.
A Home Office insider told the FT: "RwandAir said no because of the potential damage to their brand." The Mirror has contacted the company for comment. Another aviation firm, AirTanker, has received thousands of messages after charity Freedom from Torture suggested it was in talks with the Home Office.
The company, which has a number of Government contracts, was bombarded after charity Freedom from Torture urged supporters to "turn up the heat". AirTanker, which ruled itself out of carrying out the first wave of planned flights in 2022, has yet to comment on its participation going forward.
The charity has launched a fresh campaign urging airlines not to sign up to the controversial Rwanda project. Associate director of advocacy Natasha Tsangarides said the scheme "inhumane and deeply shameful" and said: "We’re calling on all airlines to say no to this dirty deal and not profit from refugees’ pain.
"These are men, women and children fleeing torture and other unimaginable horrors and they deserve our compassion and protection. It’s not too late for airlines to choose a different path and not be complicit in this ‘cash for humans’ deal.”
Mr Sunak has staked his reputation on getting flights in the air before the summer having ploughed huge sums into the project. His controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill is set to be put in front of MPs again next week after being torn apart in the House of Lords. He maintained: He added: "I’m confident that once the Bill is passed, we will be able to get the scheme up and running."
The UK has already agreed to hand over £370million to Kigali over five years - plus a one-off £120million payment once 300 people have handed one-way tickets, and further payments of £20,000 for each individual.
But the Government’s struggles finding companies willing to help have raised speculation the RAF could be called on to fly asylum seekers over 6,000 miles to Rwanda. Following reports the Home Office was struggling to find airlines to help in December, Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: "Nearer the time money talks at the end of the day, I’m sure there will be plenty of commercial partners who will be interested. And if they’re not we’ve got our own planes and we’re going to do it anyway."
He went on: "I’m sure they’ll be able to if they’re actually called upon, you can always rely on the RAF." A Home Office spokesman said: “We have robust operational plans in place to get flights off the ground to Rwanda in spring.”
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