Operation 'Castor' - 2nd Charter Flight to DR Congo - Thursday 30th August 2007


The RDs stipulate Flight *PVT616 and 'Operation Castor'


Operation Castor was the 'Operational' name given to the Charter Flight on the 26th February that removed 21 children and 17 adults to DR Congo.


*This will be more than likely a Charter flight belonging to XL Airways



Background on XL Airways involvement with 'Charter Flights'

Thank you for your email of 11 July 2007 where you have requested further information to that which we released on *18 June 2007 regarding XL Airways. This falls to be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

You asked from which month to which month in the year 2005/2006: how many persons were deported/repatriated during the year 2005/2006 via XL Airways, and of those how many were adults and how many children; were these 'charter' flights, and if yes, how many flights were there and what were the 'operational' names of the flights.

I can confirm that all flights with XL airways were charter flights.

I can also confirm that we do hold the further information you seek but it is not held by the Border & Immigration Agency in the format that you have requested. Under the FOIA we are not required to create information to respond to a request.


*From the Information Commissioner

Thank you for your email of 18 June 2007 asking for the total expenditure to deport/repatriate persons from the UK for the year 2005/2006 with XL Airways.

Your enquiry has been dealt with as a request for information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I can confirm that the total expenditure to deport/repatriate persons from the UK with XL Airways for the year 2005/06 was £1,542,826.96.