Downing Street has defended the decision to use the official UK government plane to collect Andy Burnham from Manchester, rather than the prime minister traveling to London. The Airbus A321neo departed London Stansted Airport for Antigua and Barbuda at approximately 06:00 on Monday, without the prime minister aboard.
About 30 minutes later, the jet landed in Manchester to pick up Burnham before departing for the Commonwealth heads of government summit (CHOGM) in Saint John's. The flight drew criticism on social media regarding its cost-effectiveness, but a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that security, cost, and "operational requirements" were considered. "The prime minister's travel arrangements reflect where he was carrying out official government business at the end of last week," the spokesperson said, noting that Sunak had spent time in Scotland and returned to Manchester to work.
Burnham was scheduled to meet Commonwealth leaders on Tuesday. The prime minister has indicated openness to the UK formally apologizing for its role in slavery. Details regarding the cost of the London to Manchester leg of the journey remain unclear, as the Cabinet Office's transparency data for the aircraft primarily lists overseas trips, and information is published quarterly.
Past flight data shows a trip from the UK to Paris in April cost £39,000, and a trip to Armenia incurred a cost of £121,000. The precise cost of any given flight can vary based on factors such as the number of officials traveling, fuel prices, and landing fees. It is also not publicly known if alternative transport methods from Manchester to Stansted for the prime minister, his security detail, and officials would have been significantly cheaper.