Oman puts limits on private jets as billionaire tycoons and desperate expats are flocking there to escape Dubai
Oman's Muscat airport has placed limits on private jets using the hub - in order to prioritise goverment and commercial flights.
The airport has been used as a core base to fly Brits and other stranded passengers out of the Gulf region.
Many airlines are still pausing flights out of major hubs elsewhere such as Dubai airport, following futher drone strikes.
Muscat is as such being used a key centre for charter and private planes, used by extremely wealthy residents seeking to evacuate the area.
Any plane operators can apply to run flights out of the airport, and private jets have not been banned overall.
But the focus will be on flights already scheduled, as well as government repatriation or embassy-run flights.
Chartered planes make up around a third of flights from Muscat airport over the last week, Flightradar24 shows.
Muscat airport will impose limits on private jets and chartered planes in the coming days
Saturday's drone strike on Dubai International Airport has further limited flights leaving the hub
'Due to the current crisis management measures at Muscat International Airport, flight movements are restricted to approved seasonal scheduled services only,' the airport told charter plane operators on Friday, an email seen by the FT showed.
It went on to say: 'This measure is necessary to manage congestion and ensure that airport capacity remains within acceptable limits.
'The only additional flights that may be considered during this period are embassy-sponsored repatriation flights, subject to prior approval through the applicable diplomatic channels and on the condition that no commercial sale of seats is undertaken in connection with such operations.'
It comes amid the ongoing travel chaos caused by war in the Middle East.
Many individuals in Dubai have headed for Oman, taking the four-and-a-half-hour car journey to Muscat to escape - driving up the cost of private planes.
The Financial Times reported that the cost of seats on private planes leaving Muscat has as such reached more than $20,000 (£14,856).
British executive jet charter firm SHY Aviation has seen more than 400 requests from more than 1,000 people keen to use their services - despite it now being about 50 per cent extra due to steeper insurance costs and shortage of available aircraft.
'We can't possibly take all the people who have asked,' said CEO Bernardus Vorster from London.
'The airspace is very restricted, and our aircraft usually carry about 12 people, so obviously not everyone who called has followed through with a booking.'
Some wealthy individuals have chartered private jets for up to £143,000 in order to escape.
Among those departing by car to Oman instead of hoping for a flight from Dubai International Airport were reality TV star Vicky Pattison and her husband Ercan Ramadan - desperate to get back home to their pet dogs Milo and Max.
Vicky Pattison and husband Ercan Ramadan drove 11 hours to reach Oman in hope of flying back to Britain from there
Samuel Leeds, 34, is pictured with his wife Amanda and their children on a private jet
She shared photos of their epic journey to Oman on Instagram, telling followers: 'We're so sorry for our radio silence over the last week, with everything unfolding the way it was and changing so rapidly we desperately didn't want to say anything insensitive or hyperbolic that would add to the rising panic around the situation.
'We really appreciate all your messages of concern and just wanted to reassure everyone that we're fine.
'After three cancelled flights and the realisation that we definitely weren't going to make it on to Australia and New Zealand we wanted to try and get home as quickly and safely as possible.'
She went on: 'I understand that there are a lot of people still in Dubai feeling really calm and safe however, we wanted to be back to our babies, work and normality and we felt like Oman was our best option.'
Elsewhere, father-of-four Samuel Leeds, from Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, booked a £150,000 private flight out with his wife Amanda and their children.
And there have been reports of wealthy individuals paying £350,000 for a 14-seater private jet to fly them out of the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, others have endured gruelling 12-to-16-hour coach and taxi journeys from Dubai to Riyadh to fly home from Saudi Arabia.
Brits pictured arriving at Stansted Airport last week on a repatriation flight
Brits had travelled from Muscat, Oman, with a stop to refuel in Cairo, Egypt, before landing at Stansted
The latest travel update from the FCDO on Oman said: 'Commercial flights are operating from Muscat to the UK.
'Internal flights continue from Salalah in Dhofar Governorate to Muscat. Commercial flights to and from Khasab airport in Musandam Governorate are currently suspended.
'If you are still in Oman and need to get back to the UK, check for availability with airlines or your travel provider.
'The Omani authorities are asking travellers only to travel to the airport when they have a confirmed onward flight.'
It added: 'We advise that British nationals in the city of Duqm and surrounding area shelter in place. Any British nationals currently visiting Salalah, or within 100km, should look to leave as soon as possible if commercial means allow.
'British residents in Salalah should follow the advice of local authorities, sheltering in place as required.'
Last week, the first repatriation flights for British nationals departed from Oman.
The UK government confirmed its second repatriation flight for British nationals took off from Oman on Friday.
The plane took off from Muscat, the country's capital, just hours after the first charter flight arrived in London's Stansted Airport.
The UK Foreign Office announced the flight's departure on Friday afternoon, writing on X: 'A second government charter flight has taken off from Oman today bringing British nationals home. The first flight arrived in London early this morning.
'British nationals in Oman will be contacted about the option of charter flights as they become available. Vulnerable people are being prioritised.'
