"Very Young"? Kenneth More was 44 when North West Frontier was made, and almost at the end of his film stardom

It certainly appears that UK has lost ability to do anything particularly useful in troubled times. The lack of knowledgeable personnel in FO, coupled with the inability of anyone to make a decision will undoubtedly cause an increased loss of life.
surprised to read of 4000 Brit citizens in country. Maybe citizens will think twice in the future when your Nation does not have the wherewithal to come to your aid?
Another example where reducing assets within the business case of having better technology has been found wanting again.
Thank goodness we got rid of those Hercs - or any aircraft that doesn’t need an international airport to operate!

The Indonesian Air Force is evacuating its citizens from Khartoum. Saw a press pic of a 737 on the ramp.

That's a long journey.

... and the Indian engine driver was called Gupta, played by I S Johar. ;)

Now back to our regular programming.

If Khartoum airport is useable again, why do the RAF keep using the other airfield which has little parking space and where the runway is deteriorating fast?

Take a look at page 1 posting #2.

Turns out that the Indonesian 737 landed in Port Sudan, not Khartoum according to this article. Khartoum evacuees
transferred by road from the capital. My mistake.

https://www.merdeka.com/foto/dunia/1...stu-utomo.html

Does anyone know why the RAF are using Larnaca and not Akrotiri?

I read that Akrotiri was too busy.

I was wondering that. How can it be too busy? We are only talking at most a few handfuls of movements (A400M/C130/civil charter).

KP

[QUOTE=EESDL;11426526[i]]It certainly appears that UK has lost ability to do anything particularly useful in troubled times. The lack of knowledgeable personnel in FO, coupled with the inability of anyone to make a decision will undoubtedly cause an increased loss of life.

A neighbour and occasional drinking partner is ex FO, sufficiently senior to have been knighted.
He is scathing about the FO, both currently and the way it was going in the years leading to his retirement. "Box-ticking, woke, pursues its own policies rather than those of democratically elected governments' manifestos" etc etc.

Such that his advice to my very bright grandson finishing a PPE at a Russell Group Uni is AVOID.

​​​​​​What is that opinion based on? I suspect you are quite wrong.

I would guess it's because of the passenger handling facilies at Larnaca; there's only a tiny terminal at Akrotiri and not too many personnel to staff it especially at night after all you're not talking about loads of squaddies arriving in bulk but civilians and children.

AKT staff go down the beach from lunchtime onwards ............not enough SHADER personnel to cope with the additional work!

I presume Larnaca is also more suitable for the charter aircraft being used. Of course the US may have insisted asked the UK to avoid the risk of the passengers accidentally seeing the weather balloons.:ok:

Using the RM rather the regiment is logical IMHO because:

• the marines were available at Akrotiri, presumably from the same unit that performed the evacuation of diplomatic staff with 16 Air Assault and an unnamed unit based near the English/Welsh border.
• II Squadron RAF Regt (having recently taken over from 51 Squadron RAF Regt) have an important job to do at Akrotiri which given its location and the ongoing operations is undoubtedly on several lists of targets.
• the operation is more of 'aid to the civil power' one rather than an opposed extraction which would potentially justify flying Rocks out from the UK to defend aircraft ops.
• the airfield is under the control of the Sudanese government's forces who presumably would object to an overt takeover of their role.

Interesting that the RSB wasn't used. The RAF Regt in Cyprus already have a job to do so not particularly surprised they didn't go.

Edit: Just seen what looked to be members of 34 Sqn in Khartoum on the News at Ten.

Plus operational Typhoons on Shader missions with supporting Voyager tankers, USAF U-2 missions and some other recce assets.

Brit?
 

Not one was British

How does this work in actual practice?

Do you just turn up at the airport clutching your passport? What if you can't find it?

Do they have lists to go by?

Do they call you up and tell you to get yourself to the airport?

If the reports are to. be believed, the first option, as any list seems to be incomplete, calls were not being answered and folk were told to make their own way to the air base where, if they survived the trip and could furnish the paperwork necessary. to satisfy the jobsworth, they got a ride out. Anyone in the party without the paperwork, got left to fend for themselves.