First 'one-in, one-out' migrant return flight of 2026 mysteriously cancelled

However, the detainees who had tickets for the flight were told their travel passes had been cancelled.

It is reported to be the first time one of the chartered flights has been cancelled and understood to not have been caused by a legal challenge.

“I came on a boat with 80 people onboard,” one migrant who had their ticket cancelled told the Guardian.

“Ten of us were detained and 70 were taken to hotels because their asylum claims will be processed here. That’s not fair.

“I was delighted when our tickets were cancelled but the guards would not tell us the reason.

“When I asked a guard he said: ‘We can’t tell you why’.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “It’s a longstanding government policy to not comment on operational matters.”

The cancellation of the flight follows an incident on Monday in which around 80 asylum seekers being held at Harmondsworth immigration removal centre accused the Home Office of serious mistreatment.

In a dossier, the detainees demanded the UN launch an investigation into the treatment.

The migrants, who arrived in Britain via small boat crossings and now face deportation to France, claim they have suffered severe psychological harm at the facility near Heathrow Airport.

According to the document, detainees were hurried into the removal centre immediately after their Channel crossings without adequate time to recover or receive support, and were prevented from reaching their families.

“There have been multiple incidents involving individuals experiencing severe mental health crises, including self-harm attempts,” the document reads.

“Detainees report being placed in isolation or disciplinary units.

“This environment has created constant fear, despair, and uncertainty, with detainees expressing that they feel dehumanised and invisible.”

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “We do not recognise the claims relating to conditions at Harmondsworth.

“We regard the welfare of people detained in our care as being of utmost importance.

“Protecting the UK border is our top priority. Our landmark one-in-one-out scheme means we can now send those who arrive on small boats straight back to France - striking at the heart of the criminal gangs' business model.”

Last year, a total of 41,472 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats.

This figure represents a 13 per cent increase on 2024's figure of 36,816 and the second-highest total recorded.

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